Eric Smith <eric_at_brouhaha.com>
> I wrote:
> > As soon as you start trying to do anything with the results (like sell them),
> > eBay (or whoever) will be quick to point out that they own the data, and you
> > aren't allowed to use it for commercial purposes without a license.
> Hans replied:
> > They don't own the data. Data is still not owned by anybody. As
> > soon as a specific fact is published, it is free to be used. What
> > they own is the copyright to _their_ reprensentation of this data
> > on in _their_ publications. So everybody is free to read the final
> > prices of eBay items and compile a list (or book). You don't need
> > any 'licence' to use them, as long as the compilaton is your work
> > and not taken without further rework other than beautifying.
> Maybe in Germany. In the US, Congress just keeps making copyright law worse
> and worse, with the supposed justification of bringing us into 'compliance'
> with the rest of the world. The actual purpose is to make it easier for
> large businesses to turn a quick buck, and small businesses and consumers
> be damned.
Just tell me you are joking - next time someone copyrights the
number 5 and you have to pay to use it ? C'mon, they CAN'T
copyright data - only representations ... It can't go that
way.
> There most certainly are companies that claim ownership of raw data, and there
> in not yet enough established case law in this area. Some of the courts have
> ruled in favor of plaintifs in these cases.
Hmm, you sound realy serious. It's ridicoulus ... next time
time some University claims the fact that the earth is measured
25.000 Miles around and wants royalities from everyone using this
fact ? Maybe thats a way to convert the US to the metric system ...
just copyright all mesurements in Miles and Inches ad so on ...
:)))
Gruss
H.
--
Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK
Received on Tue Dec 22 1998 - 12:00:50 GMT