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Copyright Concerns

ObiRichKanobi said:
As far as the poor couple trying to make ends meet...I bet if they had done things the right way, approached Disney with a proposal, they could have gotten a license for appearing as their copyrighted/trademarked characters. Sure, they'd have to pay Disney a royalty, but that's the legal, above board way to go. In my business we use copyrighted/trademarked images and logos all the time, but not without the express permission of the owners and paying any required royalties.

Yes, that's true. However, I think Disney could have done the same thing--approached them, reminded them of the law, and done a licensing agreement. Instead, they came down hard on poor people. This is bullying, even if it is legally justified. No wonder the latter have a lot of sympathy.

I'm a principal of a software company. We get pirated a lot. When we find some company using our stuff illegally, we contact them, tell them we know about it and we'd like to have them as legitimate customers, so how about buying a few legal copies (the number depending on how much illegal use they are guilty of)? We end up with a customer, they're off the hook, everyone is happy. I think this approach makes a lot more sense.
 
Kudos to you Steve!!! That is a very sensible way to handle an infringement once it does occur!!!
 
Sarastro said:
ObiRichKanobi said:
As far as the poor couple trying to make ends meet...I bet if they had done things the right way, approached Disney with a proposal, they could have gotten a license for appearing as their copyrighted/trademarked characters. Sure, they'd have to pay Disney a royalty, but that's the legal, above board way to go. In my business we use copyrighted/trademarked images and logos all the time, but not without the express permission of the owners and paying any required royalties.

Yes, that's true. However, I think Disney could have done the same thing--approached them, reminded them of the law, and done a licensing agreement. Instead, they came down hard on poor people. This is bullying, even if it is legally justified. No wonder the latter have a lot of sympathy.

I'm a principal of a software company. We get pirated a lot. When we find some company using our stuff illegally, we contact them, tell them we know about it and we'd like to have them as legitimate customers, so how about buying a few legal copies (the number depending on how much illegal use they are guilty of)? We end up with a customer, they're off the hook, everyone is happy. I think this approach makes a lot more sense.

I agree. Disney was right in protecting it's copyright, but it could have done it in a better fashion.
 
This copyright situation has come up in the small hobby of HO slot cars too. One person was making the stickers to restore older 1970's HO cars where the original stickers had deteriorated with use and age. He was issued with a cease and desist order because many of the graphics on the stickers were "sponsor" adds for race cars. Aurora had gotten the rights to using these logos, but the hobbyist had not, so these restoration stickers are no longer available.
 
Nothing new...Coca Cola regularly sues restaurants that sell Pepsi or some other drink when a customer orders a "Coke"....most restaurants tell you they don't have Coca Cola products when you order a "Coke" to protect themselves.
 
The New York court made a ruling with logic and thought. Not so the French court...

feh.
 
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