Article Piracy: what would you do?
-
:wtf: I have 4 articles on their site! :mad: I have contacted them as well, simply stating:
My name is Heath Stewart and you have 4 articles posted that were written by me and copyrighted by the original hosting sites - a copyright to which I agreed. The 4 articles in question are http://www.sswug.org/see/18067, http://www.sswug.org/see/11798, http://www.sswug.org/see/11583, and http://www.sswug.org/see/11303. Because this is paid content and published without permission, I would appreciate compensation (according to the payment schedule you have posted) or would ask that you remove them from this site.
We'll see if it pans out, otherwise we have a lawyer here that would probably be willing to help. I wouldn't mind so much if the content was free, but seeing that they charge for reading the articles and also compensate the original authors, I think it's only fair we receive the same treatment.
Microsoft MVP, Visual C# My Articles
I got a pretty quick reply:
Hello! Thanks for writing! Please understand - we're promoting your work, not republishing it on SSWUG.ORG. The article summaries you mentioned are pointing to codeproject.com (18067), devhood.com (the others). We do outline this in our TOS (http://www.sswug.org/tos.asp) While our search is part of our services, we are not charging to link to you - we have members that pay dues and pay us to find the best content on the web, summarize it and make it searchable. When we do this, it promotes your site and work - we send people to your site to read the article(s). This should result in some good traffic for you. It's also something members rave about - a single starting point to finding the articles they need. We also have the FAQ, list servers, discussion boards, 15,000+ other articles, original content, exclusive content, webcasts, we support local user groups with cash and speakers and give aways and more. It's not like we're here to sell links to your stuff. We just promote it. :) If you're interested in writing for us directly, please see http://www.sswug.org/columnists.asp for details. Hope that helps explain a bit. Take care, SW
Microsoft MVP, Visual C# My Articles
-
It seems that this site[^] is hosting one of my articles that I submitted to CP. They're even using my name on it. The site is paid ($9.50/Month!), and they even didn't ask me for an authorization. My e-mail to them through their Contact Us[^] page was promptly ignored. I'm really ****ed with this and I wanted to know, what would you do in this situation? I don't want my name associated to some "SQL Server WorldWide User's Group", and I want that my articles and my code only appear on CP and on my blog. :mad: Yes, even I am blogging now!
This is unacceptable. We'll look at what legal options. Please send an email to chris@codeproject.com with the URL of the CodeProject article and the URL of the article on the SQL site and we'll take it from there. cheers, Chris Maunder Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.
-
This is unacceptable. We'll look at what legal options. Please send an email to chris@codeproject.com with the URL of the CodeProject article and the URL of the article on the SQL site and we'll take it from there. cheers, Chris Maunder Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.
Chris, see my post http://www.codeproject.com/lounge.asp?msg=845720#xx845720xx[^] for links, but then see my reply. It's a reply I got from the site and it turns out that they are links back to the original site. Is this still a copyright violation? I mean, I'm all for having my work advertised which it all it seems to be. The article, they say, is not actually on their site. If the content was actually posted, I definitely think that Daniel, myself, and others deserve compensation.
Microsoft MVP, Visual C# My Articles
-
Chris, see my post http://www.codeproject.com/lounge.asp?msg=845720#xx845720xx[^] for links, but then see my reply. It's a reply I got from the site and it turns out that they are links back to the original site. Is this still a copyright violation? I mean, I'm all for having my work advertised which it all it seems to be. The article, they say, is not actually on their site. If the content was actually posted, I definitely think that Daniel, myself, and others deserve compensation.
Microsoft MVP, Visual C# My Articles
Heath Stewart wrote: Chris, see my post http://www.codeproject.com/lounge.asp?msg=845720#xx845720xx\[^\] for links, but then see my reply. It's a reply I got from the site and it turns out that they are links back to the original site. Is this still a copyright violation? I mean, I'm all for having my work advertised which it all it seems to be. The article, they say, is not actually on their site. If the content was actually posted, I definitely think that Daniel, myself, and others deserve compensation. I just received the same answer (after the 3rd e-mail, this time with a legal threat), but also asked for more information:
Sorry for the rudeness of the message, but if I can make a suggestion, you should change something on your website: besides the terms-of-services (which, let's speak frankly, no one reads) there's no place at your site that clearly states that the articles you offer are only links outside your site. Actually, "Instant Help For SQL Server, Oracle, DB2 and XML Questions Get How-To Information, Articles, Scripts, Tips, FAQs, Online Discussions and More, Updated Daily" may be misleading. On the free articles section, no article is hosted outside of your website. Thanks for the attention,
The answer I received was:
No problem at all - I'm an author too and watch my rights too - and protect the rights of others, would never impinge on that. We put a globe logo on each article that is outbound (below the headline), and the "Free articles" listing does include internal and external links- more than 400 chosen daily at random from the database.
-
:wtf: I have 4 articles on their site! :mad: I have contacted them as well, simply stating:
My name is Heath Stewart and you have 4 articles posted that were written by me and copyrighted by the original hosting sites - a copyright to which I agreed. The 4 articles in question are http://www.sswug.org/see/18067, http://www.sswug.org/see/11798, http://www.sswug.org/see/11583, and http://www.sswug.org/see/11303. Because this is paid content and published without permission, I would appreciate compensation (according to the payment schedule you have posted) or would ask that you remove them from this site.
We'll see if it pans out, otherwise we have a lawyer here that would probably be willing to help. I wouldn't mind so much if the content was free, but seeing that they charge for reading the articles and also compensate the original authors, I think it's only fair we receive the same treatment.
Microsoft MVP, Visual C# My Articles
Heath Stewart wrote: I have 4 articles on their site! Heck, I don't seem to have any! :rolleyes: Marc Microsoft MVP, Visual C# MyXaml MyXaml Blog
-
Heath Stewart wrote: Chris, see my post http://www.codeproject.com/lounge.asp?msg=845720#xx845720xx\[^\] for links, but then see my reply. It's a reply I got from the site and it turns out that they are links back to the original site. Is this still a copyright violation? I mean, I'm all for having my work advertised which it all it seems to be. The article, they say, is not actually on their site. If the content was actually posted, I definitely think that Daniel, myself, and others deserve compensation. I just received the same answer (after the 3rd e-mail, this time with a legal threat), but also asked for more information:
Sorry for the rudeness of the message, but if I can make a suggestion, you should change something on your website: besides the terms-of-services (which, let's speak frankly, no one reads) there's no place at your site that clearly states that the articles you offer are only links outside your site. Actually, "Instant Help For SQL Server, Oracle, DB2 and XML Questions Get How-To Information, Articles, Scripts, Tips, FAQs, Online Discussions and More, Updated Daily" may be misleading. On the free articles section, no article is hosted outside of your website. Thanks for the attention,
The answer I received was:
No problem at all - I'm an author too and watch my rights too - and protect the rights of others, would never impinge on that. We put a globe logo on each article that is outbound (below the headline), and the "Free articles" listing does include internal and external links- more than 400 chosen daily at random from the database.
The fact that they are charging money to link people to your article simply points out the stupidity of people that can't figure out how to use Google. Unlike a lot of other plagiarism I've seen, at least they don't change the content or slap their name on it. Shady? yes. Unethical? Maybe. Illegal? Probably not. For example, if some company made a wizbang search engine and charged money for it, would it be illegal if that search brought up your article? Doubt it. Just goes to show that there really is a sucker born every minute. Marc Microsoft MVP, Visual C# MyXaml MyXaml Blog
-
It seems that this site[^] is hosting one of my articles that I submitted to CP. They're even using my name on it. The site is paid ($9.50/Month!), and they even didn't ask me for an authorization. My e-mail to them through their Contact Us[^] page was promptly ignored. I'm really ****ed with this and I wanted to know, what would you do in this situation? I don't want my name associated to some "SQL Server WorldWide User's Group", and I want that my articles and my code only appear on CP and on my blog. :mad: Yes, even I am blogging now!
-
The fact that they are charging money to link people to your article simply points out the stupidity of people that can't figure out how to use Google. Unlike a lot of other plagiarism I've seen, at least they don't change the content or slap their name on it. Shady? yes. Unethical? Maybe. Illegal? Probably not. For example, if some company made a wizbang search engine and charged money for it, would it be illegal if that search brought up your article? Doubt it. Just goes to show that there really is a sucker born every minute. Marc Microsoft MVP, Visual C# MyXaml MyXaml Blog
Marc Clifton wrote: ...points out the stupidity of people that can't figure out how to use Google. Again, Marc, you should hang out in the C# forum (and others, I imagine)! :) There's proof all over. Someone today asked about examples communicating over USB using C#. I did a google on "C# USB" and posted him the link with tons of examples. :rolleyes: As far as the legality is concerned, I talked to our lawyer (he was in the office today and was just passing by). He suspects there's nothing wrong with it because they are simply linking content. The only thing I was miffed about was that they were charging for what I made free to begin with. So, I'd have to definitely agree with your second paragraph - the points you made.
Microsoft MVP, Visual C# My Articles
-
Marc Clifton wrote: ...points out the stupidity of people that can't figure out how to use Google. Again, Marc, you should hang out in the C# forum (and others, I imagine)! :) There's proof all over. Someone today asked about examples communicating over USB using C#. I did a google on "C# USB" and posted him the link with tons of examples. :rolleyes: As far as the legality is concerned, I talked to our lawyer (he was in the office today and was just passing by). He suspects there's nothing wrong with it because they are simply linking content. The only thing I was miffed about was that they were charging for what I made free to begin with. So, I'd have to definitely agree with your second paragraph - the points you made.
Microsoft MVP, Visual C# My Articles
Heath Stewart wrote: Again, Marc, you should hang out in the C# forum (and others, I imagine)! There's proof all over. Yeah, I know. This isn't limited to the CP forums either. I was pretty blown away when I read through some of the posts made on the MVP newsgroup. Personally, I have found the newsgroups to be next to useless. CP is MUCH better in terms of accuracy and timely response. Oh well, there's always a critic in the crowd, and I'm not one to hold back my opinion. :) Marc Microsoft MVP, Visual C# MyXaml MyXaml Blog
-
It seems that this site[^] is hosting one of my articles that I submitted to CP. They're even using my name on it. The site is paid ($9.50/Month!), and they even didn't ask me for an authorization. My e-mail to them through their Contact Us[^] page was promptly ignored. I'm really ****ed with this and I wanted to know, what would you do in this situation? I don't want my name associated to some "SQL Server WorldWide User's Group", and I want that my articles and my code only appear on CP and on my blog. :mad: Yes, even I am blogging now!
Daniel Turini wrote: Article Piracy: what would you do? It isn't publishable. Well, I it could be, but I wouldn't want to condone any illegal counter-activities.
"You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want." --Zig Ziglar The Second EuroCPian Event will be in Brussels on the 4th of September Can't manage to P/Invoke that Win32 API in .NET? Why not do interop the wiki way! My Blog
-
Don't forget the toll-free number: 1-877-853-9158 :)
"When I was born I was so surprised that I didn't talk for a year and a half." - Gracie Allen
DavidCrow wrote: Don't forget the toll-free number: That gives me an idea....
"You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want." --Zig Ziglar The Second EuroCPian Event will be in Brussels on the 4th of September Can't manage to P/Invoke that Win32 API in .NET? Why not do interop the wiki way! My Blog