Literature Forum

**smestas** · #1 (**permalink**) 09-14-2004, 11:50 AM

I've been getting PM's and emails from people who have Alfa Romeo literature and would like to post them on the site in PDF format. Do you think that we should add a new forum just for literature or just post them in the general "Anything about Alfa Romeos" forum?

Farace · #2 (**permalink**) 09-14-2004, 12:05 PM

I think a separate literature forum would help to keep things more organized, as the literature could be separate threads per publication. But another question is whether there would be a copyright issue.

81gtv6 · #3 (**permalink**) 09-14-2004, 12:42 PM

I vote yes.

**ossodiseppia** · #4 (**permalink**) 09-14-2004, 01:48 PM

I'm in favor of a Literature section. I would like the file format to be open.

GTD · #5 (**permalink**) 09-14-2004, 03:47 PM

Simon
Great idea!
Can't you make a link from the "Anything about Alfa Romeos" forum?

cucinando · #6 (**permalink**) 09-15-2004, 05:10 AM

I'd like to see a literature forum to bring this stuff together, but I share your concern about the potential copyright issues... any lawyers on the BB? If the literature was available in the public domain for free anyway, can posting it in PDF (or whatever) format be a breach?

Farace · #7 (**permalink**) 09-15-2004, 05:23 AM

Regarding copyright, if I understand correctly, nothing is in the public domain until the author specifically puts it there or until a certain (rather lengthy) time has passed. I'm not a lawyer, though. As I understand, and Papajam might be able to confirm or set me straight, AROC has an agreement with Alfa to reproduce the various manuals for members, which wouldn't be a blanket tolerance for just anyone doing it. Then again, they might just not care. But AROC might care if there's suddenly an alternate way of getting manuals, especially if they're in the process of converting the manuals themselves.

Another question would be, are we restricting the literature to official Alfa publications? What kind of problems might we encounter if we tried to post, say, a 1971 Road & Track review? What about a review from a now-defunct magazine. Is Sports Car Graphic still around in any form, perhaps renamed?

We might find that we should limit ourselves to Alfa official publications that AROC doesn't offer (in other words, promotional lit), and stay away from magazine articles?

Yeah, we need a lawyer on this. Or else a lot of permission-seeking.

**smestas** · #8 (**permalink**) 09-15-2004, 08:30 AM

If we (AlfaBB.com) join the AROC will that make us exempt and able to post this information? Does it make a difference if a member post the literature as opposed to me posting it? Would Alfa Romeo give us such permission like AROC to do so? I can think of many other Alfa Romeo related sites (clubs and personal) that have such literature available. Are they all in danger of this copyright law as well?

Where is a good lawyer when you need one?

All I know is I got some literature (serial# & production# list) that could be very usefull but you guys are scaring me with all this copyright stuff.

**ossodiseppia** · #9 (**permalink**) 09-15-2004, 08:48 AM

I have all of my stuff on the web. I'm not affraid of getting sued. ARDONA would be the people that get all bent out of shape about it and they have no money and no resources. So, I don't think they would do anything. If ARDONA or FIAT has a problem, I'm sure they would notify me and ask me to remove their copyrighted material.

GTD · #10 (**permalink**) 09-15-2004, 09:20 AM

Simon
If the AlfaBB is registered as a non-profit group and the information is being made available to the public without a fee, can anything more than a removal of an item be enforced by a holder of a copyrite? I doubt it.
If this has you worried, next thing will be a need to get releases from all individuals shown in all pic's posted for fear of "photographic infringement" of the individual's rights!
Suits result from money being made - charge no money - attract no lawyers.

**smestas** · #11 (**permalink**) 09-15-2004, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTD

Suits result from money being made - charge no money - attract no lawyers.

164QV · #12 (**permalink**) 09-15-2004, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Where is a good lawyer when you need one?

cucinando · #13 (**permalink**) 09-16-2004, 03:38 AM

Well, seeing as we're getting stuck into lawyers...

I just realised that appealing for a BBer who is a lawyer isn't going to work, we're all much too smart, funny, generous, etc. etc. (add whatever good qualities you want...) for any BBer to be one!

(extra smilies so I don't get sued

)

dretceterini · #14 (**permalink**) 09-21-2004, 02:40 AM

I am NOT a lawyer, but it is my undersatnding that it is not a problem if stuff is used for research and to gain personal information. What would be a problem is if someone used copyrighted material for personal gain.

Part of putting any material, especially stuff like Alfa sales brochures, and copies of technical publications is that there are thousands of them. The amount of web space needed would be enormous.

There is also the fact that there are people that make at least part of their living buying and selling old books and literature, and having it available on the internet would cut into their businss.

Personally, I don't have copies of very much I have written. I do an article, it get published, and that's basically it. I would have no problem, however, with putting some of the things I do have copies of on this web site. I think what may be needed is 2 specail sections; one for copies of factory publications and the like, and another for general articles...

Stu

BigSwede · #15 (**permalink**) 09-21-2004, 04:13 AM

No new forum, a topped thread in the "general" forum is enough I think.