[SEL] Re: Literature on Old Engine - Ethics Question

[Jeff Allen]

Hi Arnie and list,

Saw this old nag laying down and went to put it down. It got up so I 
thought I'd walk it back to the barn. :-)

>How about this?  Is this item currently being sold by one of the hobby
>vendors (eg. Deis / Starbolt / Pederson) and is it marked as such?
>
>If the answer is, "yes", then no, let's not put it up as a freebie.
>  
>
You strike a good balance with this Arnie. They did take the time to 
make the reprint, and they deserve some consideration from all of us in 
the hobby.

>What I find really appaling is that this pair of items IS readily
>available, albiet for a couple of bucks.  What about the thousands of
>pages of original literature that folks own and which is NOT available?
>
>I honestly feel that we all would advance the hobby far more by scanning
>THAT material and putting THAT on the web, rather than those ratty copies
>that Ed Deis sells.
>
I'm working on 400 pages from a rare 1906 book. I will put it online for 
all to see. That's how I do it when I get the opportunity to purchase an 
old book or manual.  I WILL NOT make the work of others available for 
free if it is readily available*. Now comes the hard part for all of us.

We as a community of partially insane collectors of old iron need to 
iron this out. This issue has nothing to do with copyright or public 
domain material. Any of us can use it as we choose. I will take the 
position that Arnie mentioned above. Let's support the vendors that help 
the hobby. We have enough material to share without making their work free.

In closing, I maintain a list of links to the hard work of others. Jim 
has given me "carte blanche" on the index I maintain, yet I still ask 
when I make changes. He will have the final say regarding the files on 
his server. If he decides to make the files available, I will link to 
them. *That is my duty in running the index, just as it is my duty to 
run my local clubs site as they (board of directors) see fit. I checked 
my personal feelings in at the door when I took on the task for the 
sites I maintain for others.

Jeff Allen




Arnie Fero wrote:

>Hi Peter,
>
>At the risk of inflicting deeper gashes on a poor old horse who can no
>longer defend himself, let me offer a REALLY simple "test" of what is
>ethically acceptable to put up for "free use."
>
>How about this?  Is this item currently being sold by one of the hobby
>vendors (eg. Deis / Starbolt / Pederson) and is it marked as such?
>
>If the answer is, "yes", then no, let's not put it up as a freebie.
>
>Is that unambiguous enough for everyone?  I trust that is not too much of
>a stretch for folks.
>
>What I find really appaling is that this pair of items IS readily
>available, albiet for a couple of bucks.  What about the thousands of
>pages of original literature that folks own and which is NOT available?
>
>I honestly feel that we all would advance the hobby far more by scanning
>THAT material and putting THAT on the web, rather than those ratty copies
>that Ed Deis sells.
>
>See ya,  Arnie
>
>PS - Please Peter, don't remind me of the extensive collection of
>literature that YOU have put on the net.  You are a credit to the hobby.
>My remarks are general and not directed to anyone in particular.
>
>On Sat, 26 Feb 2005, Listerdiesel wrote:
>
>  
>
>>OK, can we start to establish what 'IS' OK for people to put up for
>>free and what 'ISN'T' ??
>>
>>I don't want to get into a heavy ethical/moral issue discussion here,
>>but Arnie has said that he provided copies for the list archive so by
>>default that 'must' be OK. Can we state/accept  that it is OK for
>>'originals' to be copied and put up on the web ?  Originals in this
>>case to mean absolutely original material that has not been supplied
>>through the restoration trade?
>>
>>If Arnie's main objections are, and I basically agree with his
>>position on this so far, that we should not be copying material that
>>has come through the restoration trade and making that material
>>available free of charge, then we should be able to replace any such
>>material with other stuff that we can ensure is not 'ripped off'.
>>    
>>
>
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>  
>