Glad to be of help. It is a sore subject for some I have noticed, but I think the core of it all is just people wanting to keep things correct and factual. I am sure there are some people that want to "copyright" for profit or personal gain, but most all geneaologist that I have met just want their work recognized and depicted accurately. I can fully understand those that put years into writing a family book only to see it cut and pasted into a thousand "family history" projects. I have seen my own work protrayed by others as their own. It bothers me to a point, but I figure at least someone is getting good use of it. As long as the person references the actual source, then personally I am ok with it. Good hunting! Drew Slate Fort Worth, Tx > > From: "Shirley Daykin" <[email protected]> > Date: 2005/08/16 Tue PM 03:04:30 EDT > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [TXREDRIV] Information Please: > > THANKS DREW FOR THE INFO. IT WILL GIVE US SOME GUIDELINES. I THINK I FOUND > THE SITE YOU ARE REFERRING TO. IT SEEMS TO HAVE A LOT OF > DO'S AND DON'TS AND COPYRIGHT INFORMATION. THANKS AGAIN, MUCH APPRECIATED. > > I'M NOT SHOUTING AT YOU WITH THE USE OF CAPS, I'M JUST ONE STEP ABOVE BEING > LEGALLY BLIND AND IT IS NECESSARY SOME DAYS TO USE THEM. > > SHIRLEY > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2005 1:38 PM > Subject: Re: [TXREDRIV] Information Please: > > > > Hello Shirley, > > > > This is a topic that I have seen debated quite a bit. The copyright laws > are about how you present and package information not the actual content, in > our hobby that is things like dates, names, places, etc. These are facts > and thus public domain for a lack of a better term. > > > > You can create a book of your family history and copyright that history > as a whole, but you can't copyright the actual factual information. Does > that make sense? > > > > Here is a short article on what I am talking about... > > > > ====================================================== > > Genealogy Tip of the Day > > > > Can You Copyright Your Family Tree? > > > > ABOUT Genealogy Tip of the Day > > Yes, please sign me up for the free ABOUT Genealogy Tip of the Day > newsletter. > > > > One subject which is always good for a passionate discussion among > genealogists is the issue of copyright laws as they pertain to genealogy. > Some feel the family data they compile and place in GEDCOM files is > protected by copyright. Others are of the opinion that everything > genealogy-related on the Internet is public information and free for the > taking. The remaining genealogists cover the spectrum of opinions between > the two extremes. > > > > Copyright laws vary by country, but for most countries the basic premises > are the same: > > > > facts and data can not be copyrighted > > narration, compilations and creative works are protected by copyright > > Copyright law in the U.S. does not protect data, only the presentation of > the data. This is an important point for genealogists, because it means that > facts (names, dates, places, etc.) presented in a standard format, such as a > pedigree chart or GEDCOM file, are not protected by copyright. However, if > you take this data and present it in your own unique format, such as a > narrative, then the presentation of the material is protected by copyright, > even when the facts are not. Large, original compilations of facts can also > be protected by copyright - such as in the case of genealogical data CDs. > You can enter a fact from such a CD into your database and it is free for > use, but you can not legally reproduce the entire content of the CD. Public > records in the U.S. are also not protected by copyright laws. This means > that information copied from vital records, tombstones, court records, etc. > are considered facts and cannot be copyrighted. > > > > So how do you go about publishing your genealogy information on the > Internet, while still protecting it from genealogists too lazy to do their > own research? It's all in the extras. If you wish to display your > information in GEDCOM or pedigree chart format, then include plenty of > personal commentary in the form of notes. Or consider displaying your family > information in a story format complete with photos (yes, they are protected > by copyright). This won't prevent people from using your facts, but it will > make it difficult for them to legally import your family tree into their > database verbatim. > > ==================================================== > > > > There are some very specific copyright writeups and websites if you would > like to read the actual laws. If you would like to see them, I can find it > again and post it... > > > > Drew Slate > > Fort Worth, Tx > > > > > > From: "Shirley Daykin" <[email protected]> > > > Date: 2005/08/16 Tue PM 01:26:38 EDT > > > To: [email protected] > > > Subject: [TXREDRIV] Information Please: > > > > > > Is there anyone out there that can tell me what the steps are for > getting > > > your genealogy copyrighted? Whom do I contact? Anyone have an address > or > > > phone #? > > > Thanks. > > > > > > Shirley > > > > > > > > > ==== TXREDRIV Mailing List ==== > > > > > > > > > > > > ============================== > > > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > > > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > > > > > > > > > ==== TXREDRIV Mailing List ==== > > > > > > > > ============================== > > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the > > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. > > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx > > > > > ==== TXREDRIV Mailing List ==== > > > > ============================== > Census images 1901, 1891, 1881 and 1871, plus so much more. > Ancestry.com's United Kingdom & Ireland Collection. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13968/rd.ashx >
I agree Drew. As long as the person who did the actual research and documented it, [which usually costs a price] gives that person credit for the work, then that's okay. But there are so many out there that take advantage of those who do spend money to document and abuse the right to the information by passing it around without permission. My cousin just doesn't like all the WRONG info that is out there being passed around. She has tried to work something out with the people that were brave enough to put their names on the wrong info. So far no one has agreed to correct what they have out there floating around. My experiences have been with members of my own family. My Mothers side. One cousin took the info and set herself up on a county web page doing "look ups" from my info and taking credit for it. The other cousin, also Mothers side didn't put it on her web page, but gave it to someone else to put on theirs. A very bad situation when family can't be trusted. Thanks again for your help. Shirley ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2005 5:41 PM Subject: Re: Re: [TXREDRIV] Information Please: > Glad to be of help. It is a sore subject for some I have noticed, but I think the core of it all is just people wanting to keep things correct and factual. I am sure there are some people that want to "copyright" for profit or personal gain, but most all geneaologist that I have met just want their work recognized and depicted accurately. > > I can fully understand those that put years into writing a family book only to see it cut and pasted into a thousand "family history" projects. I have seen my own work protrayed by others as their own. It bothers me to a point, but I figure at least someone is getting good use of it. As long as the person references the actual source, then personally I am ok with it. > > Good hunting! > > Drew Slate > Fort Worth, Tx > > > > From: "Shirley Daykin" <[email protected]> > > Date: 2005/08/16 Tue PM 03:04:30 EDT > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: Re: [TXREDRIV] Information Please: > > > > THANKS DREW FOR THE INFO. IT WILL GIVE US SOME GUIDELINES. I THINK I FOUND > > THE SITE YOU ARE REFERRING TO. IT SEEMS TO HAVE A LOT OF > > DO'S AND DON'TS AND COPYRIGHT INFORMATION. THANKS AGAIN, MUCH APPRECIATED. > > > > I'M NOT SHOUTING AT YOU WITH THE USE OF CAPS, I'M JUST ONE STEP ABOVE BEING > > LEGALLY BLIND AND IT IS NECESSARY SOME DAYS TO USE THEM. > > > > SHIRLEY > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: <[email protected]> > > To: <[email protected]> > > Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2005 1:38 PM > > Subject: Re: [TXREDRIV] Information Please: > > > > > > > Hello Shirley, > > > > > > This is a topic that I have seen debated quite a bit. The copyright laws > > are about how you present and package information not the actual content, in > > our hobby that is things like dates, names, places, etc. These are facts > > and thus public domain for a lack of a better term. > > > > > > You can create a book of your family history and copyright that history > > as a whole, but you can't copyright the actual factual information. Does > > that make sense? > > > > > > Here is a short article on what I am talking about... > > > > > > ====================================================== > > > Genealogy Tip of the Day > > > > > > Can You Copyright Your Family Tree? > > > > > > ABOUT Genealogy Tip of the Day > > > Yes, please sign me up for the free ABOUT Genealogy Tip of the Day > > newsletter. > > > > > > One subject which is always good for a passionate discussion among > > genealogists is the issue of copyright laws as they pertain to genealogy. > > Some feel the family data they compile and place in GEDCOM files is > > protected by copyright. Others are of the opinion that everything > > genealogy-related on the Internet is public information and free for the > > taking. The remaining genealogists cover the spectrum of opinions between > > the two extremes. > > > > > > Copyright laws vary by country, but for most countries the basic premises > > are the same: > > > > > > facts and data can not be copyrighted > > > narration, compilations and creative works are protected by copyright > > > Copyright law in the U.S. does not protect data, only the presentation of > > the data. This is an important point for genealogists, because it means that > > facts (names, dates, places, etc.) presented in a standard format, such as a > > pedigree chart or GEDCOM file, are not protected by copyright. However, if > > you take this data and present it in your own unique format, such as a > > narrative, then the presentation of the material is protected by copyright, > > even when the facts are not. Large, original compilations of facts can also > > be protected by copyright - such as in the case of genealogical data CDs. > > You can enter a fact from such a CD into your database and it is free for > > use, but you can not legally reproduce the entire content of the CD. Public > > records in the U.S. are also not protected by copyright laws. This means > > that information copied from vital records, tombstones, court records, etc. > > are considered facts and cannot be copyrighted. > > > > > > So how do you go about publishing your genealogy information on the > > Internet, while still protecting it from genealogists too lazy to do their > > own research? It's all in the extras. If you wish to display your > > information in GEDCOM or pedigree chart format, then include plenty of > > personal commentary in the form of notes. Or consider displaying your family > > information in a story format complete with photos (yes, they are protected > > by copyright). This won't prevent people from using your facts, but it will > > make it difficult for them to legally import your family tree into their > > database verbatim. > > > ==================================================== > > > > > > There are some very specific copyright writeups and websites if you would > > like to read the actual laws. If you would like to see them, I can find it > > again and post it... > > > > > > Drew Slate > > > Fort Worth, Tx > > > > > > > > From: "Shirley Daykin" <[email protected]> > > > > Date: 2005/08/16 Tue PM 01:26:38 EDT > > > > To: [email protected] > > > > Subject: [TXREDRIV] Information Please: > > > > > > > > Is there anyone out there that can tell me what the steps are for > > getting > > > > your genealogy copyrighted? Whom do I contact? Anyone have an address > > or > > > > phone #? > > > > Thanks. > > > > > > > > Shirley > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== TXREDRIV Mailing List ==== > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ============================== > > > > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > > > > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: > > http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== TXREDRIV Mailing List ==== > > > > > > > > > > > > ============================== > > > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the > > > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. > > > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx > > > > > > > > > ==== TXREDRIV Mailing List ==== > > > > > > > > ============================== > > Census images 1901, 1891, 1881 and 1871, plus so much more. > > Ancestry.com's United Kingdom & Ireland Collection. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13968/rd.ashx > > > > > ==== TXREDRIV Mailing List ==== > > > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx >