Comments on: Flattery or Thievery http://www.getpaidtowriteonline.com/flattery-or-thievery/ Straight Talk About Your Writing Career Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:46:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: admin http://www.getpaidtowriteonline.com/flattery-or-thievery/#comment-225 admin Mon, 23 Jul 2007 15:07:28 +0000 http://getpaidtowriteonline.com/flattery-or-thievery/#comment-225 I think Jonathan hit the nail on the head with his comment about ideas and expressions. I am glad you were able to get the matter resolved. Thanks for contributing such an interesting post to my blog, Dana. I think Jonathan hit the nail on the head with his comment about ideas and expressions. I am glad you were able to get the matter resolved. Thanks for contributing such an interesting post to my blog, Dana.

]]> By: Dana http://www.getpaidtowriteonline.com/flattery-or-thievery/#comment-224 Dana Thu, 19 Jul 2007 18:21:40 +0000 http://getpaidtowriteonline.com/flattery-or-thievery/#comment-224 Thanks to those who have written to me directly about this blog post. The post landed on target and reached the person that wrote the post that was so similar to mine and the issue has been resolved amicably. Instead of being angry and feeling ambivalent towards someone I cross paths with at writing communities regularly, I'm glad that I addressed this in a non-direct way and got resolution. Cheers, Dana Thanks to those who have written to me directly about this blog post. The post landed on target and reached the person that wrote the post that was so similar to mine and the issue has been resolved amicably.

Instead of being angry and feeling ambivalent towards someone I cross paths with at writing communities regularly, I’m glad that I addressed this in a non-direct way and got resolution.

Cheers,
Dana

]]> By: Writing For Food http://www.getpaidtowriteonline.com/flattery-or-thievery/#comment-223 Writing For Food Tue, 17 Jul 2007 16:14:09 +0000 http://getpaidtowriteonline.com/flattery-or-thievery/#comment-223 Dana: I was unable to find an email address for you, but I left a post on your blog. Dana:

I was unable to find an email address for you, but I left a post on your blog.

]]> By: Writing For Food http://www.getpaidtowriteonline.com/flattery-or-thievery/#comment-222 Writing For Food Tue, 17 Jul 2007 15:59:22 +0000 http://getpaidtowriteonline.com/flattery-or-thievery/#comment-222 Personally, I'd be curious to compare the two entries to see how closely they resemble each other. I've seen (and heard of) bloggers who basically steal content from other sites. But I imagine there are some cases when two ideas just overlap, or the inspiration is more subconscious than conscious. Any chance you'll share the post with us? At least your post that inspired the copycat? Personally, I’d be curious to compare the two entries to see how closely they resemble each other. I’ve seen (and heard of) bloggers who basically steal content from other sites. But I imagine there are some cases when two ideas just overlap, or the inspiration is more subconscious than conscious. Any chance you’ll share the post with us? At least your post that inspired the copycat?

]]> By: Jonathan Bailey http://www.getpaidtowriteonline.com/flattery-or-thievery/#comment-221 Jonathan Bailey Mon, 16 Jul 2007 20:12:47 +0000 http://getpaidtowriteonline.com/flattery-or-thievery/#comment-221 I feel that there is a big difference between copying an idea and the expression of an idea. The law seems to agree with me. An idea can not be copyrighted. However, an expression of said idea, once it is fixated into a tangible medium, can be. A business model might be patentable, depending on how it works, but it can't be copyrighted. Is it unethical for them to at least acknowledge their source? Perhaps. But like you said they might have known where the idea came from or might have gotten it from an, as of yet, unidentified third party. The problem with ideas is that they can be created by multiple people at the same time. Expressions can not. If they did take the idea from you, I hope they at least give you some credit for it, it would seem to be the right thing to do, but proving that can be hard and, even if they did, most likely an actionable offense has not occurred. As always, I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice, just my experience on the subject. I feel that there is a big difference between copying an idea and the expression of an idea. The law seems to agree with me.

An idea can not be copyrighted. However, an expression of said idea, once it is fixated into a tangible medium, can be. A business model might be patentable, depending on how it works, but it can’t be copyrighted.

Is it unethical for them to at least acknowledge their source? Perhaps. But like you said they might have known where the idea came from or might have gotten it from an, as of yet, unidentified third party.

The problem with ideas is that they can be created by multiple people at the same time. Expressions can not.

If they did take the idea from you, I hope they at least give you some credit for it, it would seem to be the right thing to do, but proving that can be hard and, even if they did, most likely an actionable offense has not occurred.

As always, I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice, just my experience on the subject.

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