Announcements/RE: Please Read: Regarding Ambleside Online's Copyright Policy
08-31-2013, 10:41 AM
There also seems to be some confusion about copyrighted works. You don't need a license number of a work to be copyrighted. That was once not precisely the case, but it's been many, many years now since that changed. I was talking to my library science major daughter about this today, and she was surprised that not everybody knows this. These very words that I am typing right now become copyrighted to myself the moment I type them (as do yours). You don't need a license, and there is really only one reason to get one- to make it easier if you are intending to sue somebody in Federal Court should they violate your copyright.
This is from the government copyright offices FAQ: (http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-ge...tml#mywork)
When is my work protected?
Your work is under copyright protection the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible form that it is perceptible either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.
Do I have to register with your office to be protected?
No. In general, registration is voluntary. Copyright exists from the moment the work is created. You will have to register, however, if you wish to bring a lawsuit for infringement of a U.S. work. See Circular 1, Copyright Basics, section “Copyright Registration.”
---------------------------
So the law is on our 'side,' if we want to see this issue in such a divisive fashion, which the Advisory would rather not (which is why for years we just let these things go).
But as Christians, does it really require a civil law to tell us that it's not exactly respectful, or honoring another person's work, or treating others as we would want to be treated to take somebody else's work and copyright it to yourself? Is a law from the secular authorities really what one should require to prevent one from copying and pasting another person's work to one's own website (or formatting it for Kindle for resale, or whatever) without permission? Surely not. And certainly we can all see the irony of copying and pasting somebody else's work only to then turn around and copyright the other party's work to yourself, right?
We do understand that Charlotte Mason Moms especially are often word-nerds (as another CM mom told me this morning), and our enthusiasm may lead us to a little overmuch sharing with a little under-much crediting or permission, with no intent at all to be dishonest or hurtful. Again- that is why we ignored it for going on a decade (though we now realize this was bad judgment on our part), and that is why we posted this here and on our blog- we trust that those with good intentions will also see our good intentions and honor our request.
I hope this clarifies things a little.
This is from the government copyright offices FAQ: (http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-ge...tml#mywork)
When is my work protected?
Your work is under copyright protection the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible form that it is perceptible either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.
Do I have to register with your office to be protected?
No. In general, registration is voluntary. Copyright exists from the moment the work is created. You will have to register, however, if you wish to bring a lawsuit for infringement of a U.S. work. See Circular 1, Copyright Basics, section “Copyright Registration.”
---------------------------
So the law is on our 'side,' if we want to see this issue in such a divisive fashion, which the Advisory would rather not (which is why for years we just let these things go).
But as Christians, does it really require a civil law to tell us that it's not exactly respectful, or honoring another person's work, or treating others as we would want to be treated to take somebody else's work and copyright it to yourself? Is a law from the secular authorities really what one should require to prevent one from copying and pasting another person's work to one's own website (or formatting it for Kindle for resale, or whatever) without permission? Surely not. And certainly we can all see the irony of copying and pasting somebody else's work only to then turn around and copyright the other party's work to yourself, right?
We do understand that Charlotte Mason Moms especially are often word-nerds (as another CM mom told me this morning), and our enthusiasm may lead us to a little overmuch sharing with a little under-much crediting or permission, with no intent at all to be dishonest or hurtful. Again- that is why we ignored it for going on a decade (though we now realize this was bad judgment on our part), and that is why we posted this here and on our blog- we trust that those with good intentions will also see our good intentions and honor our request.
I hope this clarifies things a little.
