Comments on: Public Domain Patterns http://www.blogaboutcrafts.com/public-domain-patterns.html Conversations about selling crafts on the web. Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:29:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Michele http://www.blogaboutcrafts.com/public-domain-patterns.html#comment-2580 Michele Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:26:48 +0000 http://flashgallerytemplate.com/?p=174#comment-2580 You are so right about the law being the problem. Having a giant window where copyright holders were required to refile their copyright or lose it has just made it virtually impossible to know what things published in the 1940s and 1950s are still protected. What a horrendous idea that was. I am disappointed that Etsy appears to not give this issue the attention it deserves. I've seen a few folks offering electronic versions that can be sent immediately while the original makes it's way through the postal system and think that's a great idea. But, I'm not a fan of the folks who photocopy protected works and sell them as if they are the actual copyright holder. As far as downloadable patterns on eBay, that has been a big problem for years. Sadly, folks there have sold "their" patterns which were ones they had found online or purchased on Etsy. The Internet has so terribly blurred the lines for copyright and ownership. I've lost count at how many hours I've spent having to chase down folks who have stolen my content and claimed it as their own. The vast majority know they are doing something wrong but take the attitude of if the owner catches me, I'll just take it off my site. I've had a number of conversations with the US Copyright Office and they will be the first to tell you that copyright law has simply not kept up with the giant information distribution network known as the Internet. Other than making the penalties more severe and providing greater relief for those who's work is stolen, sadly I don't see anything really changing. It's just to darn easy to copy and paste something and throw it up online. With big pharma, someone has to at least reverse engineer the formula before they can sell 'their version'. Thanks for the feedback and I look forward to hearing from you again. You are so right about the law being the problem. Having a giant window where copyright holders were required to refile their copyright or lose it has just made it virtually impossible to know what things published in the 1940s and 1950s are still protected. What a horrendous idea that was.

I am disappointed that Etsy appears to not give this issue the attention it deserves. I’ve seen a few folks offering electronic versions that can be sent immediately while the original makes it’s way through the postal system and think that’s a great idea. But, I’m not a fan of the folks who photocopy protected works and sell them as if they are the actual copyright holder.

As far as downloadable patterns on eBay, that has been a big problem for years. Sadly, folks there have sold “their” patterns which were ones they had found online or purchased on Etsy. The Internet has so terribly blurred the lines for copyright and ownership. I’ve lost count at how many hours I’ve spent having to chase down folks who have stolen my content and claimed it as their own. The vast majority know they are doing something wrong but take the attitude of if the owner catches me, I’ll just take it off my site. I’ve had a number of conversations with the US Copyright Office and they will be the first to tell you that copyright law has simply not kept up with the giant information distribution network known as the Internet.

Other than making the penalties more severe and providing greater relief for those who’s work is stolen, sadly I don’t see anything really changing. It’s just to darn easy to copy and paste something and throw it up online. With big pharma, someone has to at least reverse engineer the formula before they can sell ‘their version’.

Thanks for the feedback and I look forward to hearing from you again.

]]> By: Mary http://www.blogaboutcrafts.com/public-domain-patterns.html#comment-2407 Mary Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:59:38 +0000 http://flashgallerytemplate.com/?p=174#comment-2407 There are a number of people selling downloadable patterns on eBay and ETSY. Not just individual patterns but scans of the entire book/booklets. I thought if not illegal it is certainly unethical so I contacted Coats and Clark about this and they replied firmly that they retain their publications' copyright and any reprinting without permission is illegal. I have also brought this up in an ETSY forum and the apathy regarding this issue was pathetic. I suggested that, since ETSY is benefiting from the illegal distribution of copyrighted materials that they should police this a bit. It is not their policy. Any copyright holder who feels they have been violated must take the enormous task of defending their intellectual property. It is the law that is the problem here. In an era of instant downloads it will be increasingly difficult to protect not only intellectual property from the 50's but current material. The enforcement differs from country to country too. If it were not for the fact that a lot of time and money goes into the development of these products it would not seem such a bad idea. But if the law protected these patterns like they protect pharmaceutical formulas we'd all see a much more level playing field. Thanks for this post. There are a number of people selling downloadable patterns on eBay and ETSY. Not just individual patterns but scans of the entire book/booklets. I thought if not illegal it is certainly unethical so I contacted Coats and Clark about this and they replied firmly that they retain their publications’ copyright and any reprinting without permission is illegal. I have also brought this up in an ETSY forum and the apathy regarding this issue was pathetic. I suggested that, since ETSY is benefiting from the illegal distribution of copyrighted materials that they should police this a bit. It is not their policy. Any copyright holder who feels they have been violated must take the enormous task of defending their intellectual property. It is the law that is the problem here. In an era of instant downloads it will be increasingly difficult to protect not only intellectual property from the 50′s but current material. The enforcement differs from country to country too. If it were not for the fact that a lot of time and money goes into the development of these products it would not seem such a bad idea. But if the law protected these patterns like they protect pharmaceutical formulas we’d all see a much more level playing field.

Thanks for this post.

]]> By: Carter http://www.blogaboutcrafts.com/public-domain-patterns.html#comment-1608 Carter Thu, 23 Dec 2010 07:40:43 +0000 http://flashgallerytemplate.com/?p=174#comment-1608 Valuable information and splendid pattern you got there! I would like to thank you for sharing your ideas! Thumbs up! I love that you give credit to the original designers. So many vintage pattern sites are obviously using pictures and instructions from old publications but they are not listing either the publication or the designer. They don't have to by law, but it just shows respect. Valuable information and splendid pattern you got there! I would like to thank you for sharing your ideas! Thumbs up!

I love that you give credit to the original designers. So many vintage pattern sites are obviously using pictures and instructions from old publications but they are not listing either the publication or the designer. They don’t have to by law, but it just shows respect.

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