The Forge Archives

General Forge Forums => Publishing => Topic started by: jrs on July 13, 2006, 06:10:24 PM

Title: Copyright resources
Post by: jrs on July 13, 2006, 06:10:24 PM
Earlier Ron mentioned his interest in a post that consolidates links to copyright resources, see Regarding copyright and intellectual property (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=20392.0).  I've taken it upon myself to compile such a post with the hope that it will be deemed worthy of stickification. 

Here are links to resources outside the Forge.

United States Copyright Office (http://www.copyright.gov/), and the Copyright Registration section (http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html#cr)
United States Patent and Trademark Office (http://www.uspto.gov/)
Orphan Works (http://www.copyright.gov/orphan/)
Tales from the Public Domain: BOUND BY LAW? (http://www.law.duke.edu/cspd/comics/index.html)
Creative Commons (http://creativecommons.org/)
World Intellectual Property Organization (http://www.wipo.int/)

For even more links, go to this topic, Legal Information for Publishers (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=14554.0)

Here are links to Forge topics that discuss copyright and related issues.  I think I located most of the big ones; they are in chronological order. 

Copyrights (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=561.0)
I'm a plagiarizing bastard (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=1240.0)
Intellectual Property and Dice Mechanics (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=1622.0)
How protective are you of your game ideas? (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=3525.0)
Using potentially "trademarked" words of myth?! (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=4082.0)
Copyright and references to RPGs (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=4865.0)
Kazaa, Piracy & Your PDF game (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=5425.0)
Split from Kazaa thread (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=5683.0)
Copyright and/or Trademark Infringement Horror Stories? (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=5610.0)
Public Domain (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=6713.0)
How to deal with a PDF pirate (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=7139.0)
Should I bother registering my RPG for copyright? (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=8253.0)
Using public domain art (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=10121.0)
Treading lightly around a Trademarked term (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=11577.0)
Copyright Question (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=11725.0)
how do I find out if a company name is original (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=11729.0)
Open Licenses and Indie Games (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=12405.0)
Copyright issues (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=12842.0)
The world (of rights) is a complicated place (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=13619.0)
Rights: New Writers, Old Product Line, Not Work-for-Hire (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=13875.0)
PDF Piracy Revisited (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=14194.0)
curious about protection (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=15184.0)
Copyright Law regarding government art (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=18065.0)
Trademarks and copyrights (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=19011.0)
Woodcuts (split) (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=19360.0)
Roleplaying, Free Software & Content and Libre Culture (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=19465.0)

Julie
Title: Re: Copyright resources
Post by: Andrew Cooper on July 13, 2006, 07:31:39 PM
This is awesome Julie.  I certainly hope it gets stickified, since the forums no longer have "My Topics" that I can save this one to.  Thanks for doing this kind of work.  You da bomb!
Title: Re: Copyright resources
Post by: Ben Lehman on July 13, 2006, 11:14:42 PM
I've gotten great response at the IntelPropLaw (http://www.intelproplaw.com/Forum/Forum.cgi) forums.

yrs--
--Ben
Title: Re: Copyright resources
Post by: jrs on July 14, 2006, 10:14:54 AM
Well, crap.  You know all those links to past discussions that I list above.  Don't post to them.  Some of them date back to 2001, and even the ones that aren't that old should not be revived.  I assumed folks would know better, and I've already been proven wrong.  Start new discussions.  Or if you have another resource, add it here like Ben did.

Julie
Title: Re: Copyright resources
Post by: axonrg on July 16, 2006, 09:15:58 AM
This link on games and copyrights (http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html) from the US Copyright Office is quite interesting.
Title: Re: Copyright resources
Post by: Tzu-Theory on August 14, 2006, 08:06:05 PM
Thanks for the links!
Title: Re: Copyright resources
Post by: Dosoga on April 15, 2007, 12:19:25 PM
That's a great resource. Thanks!

I have one comment, though. I have found it fascinating that, while many aspiring writers (as in published writers) are concerned about not infringing other writers' copyrights, and are even more worried about anyone stealing their ideas, many feel quite comfortable stealing software -- i.e. actually advocate for getting software "on the cheap", either by buying an educational license they are no longer entitled to, or simply getting a ripped version via Kazaa or some black market scheme.

(see How to Make Your Own Role-playing Game (Cheap) (http://"www.indie-rpgs.com/articles/14/") by Clinton R. Nixon).

In my mind, anyone thinking that pirating software is OK shouldn't get upset when their PDF product they are selling (or hard copy RPG books) are getting photocopied and passed along free of charge. Obviously, anyone posting their RPGs for free online will still not see this as a big issue, but anyone trying to recoup their cost and actually make a bit of money selling their RPGs should.

I am not taking the moral high ground here -- as a student, I couldn't afford to buy these $300 programs either, and we bought "communal" copies. But anyone who is serious about providing advice on publishing shouldn't encourage others to pirate/steal/illegally copy other people's hard work, whether it's books, music, movies or software

I still highly recommend Nixon's article. He does make several good suggestions as to how one can publish legally on the cheap.

Food for thought. Let me know if you think I am out to lunch!

PG
Title: Re: Copyright resources
Post by: Ron Edwards on April 15, 2007, 09:40:32 PM
Hi there,

If anyone wants to take up that issue, a new thread is probably best, rather than in this sticky.

However, please keep in mind that ethical debates cannot be settled at this site. Those judgments, and their consequences, are yours alone.

Best, Ron
Title: Re: Copyright resources
Post by: Selene Tan on July 06, 2009, 02:05:42 PM
Dan Rosenthal, a legal adviser for the (video) games industry, just put up an overview of legal issues for game developers (http://gamedesignconcepts.pbworks.com/Legal-Issues-for-Game-Developers), focusing on intellectual property.

It's targeted at video game developers, but is a good intro to intellectual property law for games.