J,

Sorry, we completely disagree here. Posting a news article to the web under
fair use is, IMO, morally correct, even if it may not be legally correct.
The copyright system in the USA is so broken it's pathetic and it's designed
to make rich white guys richer, quite honestly.

-Eric in that crazy lefty city of SF
an educated, left of left not rich white guy

ps. we shouldn't bore the rest of the orchid folks here with this way off
topic diversion.

"J. Del Col" wrote in message
m...
"Eric Hunt" wrote in message
...
Mike,

Fair use, babe.

Posting to the Web doesn't count as "fair use" by any standard. The
article could be accessed for free by anyone in the world. Verbatim
publication is never "fair use."


We're all essentially researchers learning about orchids in
this newsgroup. What's the difference in posting it here rather than the
library having the article put into a circular file on orchids that
everyone
goes and reads?


Income. Libraries pay more for subscriptions than individuals do
exactly because it is assumed that more than one person will read the
periodical at the library.

Or someone bringing it to an OS meeting and letting everyone
read it? The medium is different - not the outcome.

Furthermore, no one entity is charging everyone here a fee in order to
read
this newsgroup,....

So what? The point of copyright is to guarantee the rights of the
copyright holder to determine how, when, and by whom the material may
be reproduced. Whether the person who violates the copyright charges
anything is irrelevant.

If I wrote a book about orchids and you made it available on the web
for free, you can bet your life I'd sue for copyright infringement.

Copyright infringement is theft.


Read the --Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law--.

J. Del Col