APG-L Archives

Archiver > APG > 2004-06 > 1086660647


From: "Kory Meyerink" <>
Subject: RE: [APG] Would you give an additional report?
Date: Mon, 7 Jun 2004 20:10:55 -0600
In-Reply-To: <AC0478010B6C2245B936176F1E91FE8F0D4C37@server.domain.local>


Virginia and Barbara have correctly assessed the best way to approach this
request. It is an issue we deal with on a regular bases and have established
a policy of not sending electronic copies of reports in regular word
processing files (Word, WordPerfect, etc.) to preserve the integrity and
copyright of our valued researchers. As Sharon Carmack has often taught, and
written, the client does not own the report outright, unless that copyright
has been negotiated and contracted to the client. Rather, the creator of the
report (the researcher) owns the copyright.

The client owns a single copy of the report (unless additional copies are
negotiated) and can do ALMOST anything with that copy (lend, share, re-sell,
write on it, or even burn it, as we can with any book we buy from a store),
EXCEPT reproducing, distributing, and editing (creating a "derivative" work
from) the report. Those are the protections that copyright gives to the
author, and sharing an easily edited and distributed electronic file can do
serious harm to those rights.

Besides that, our reports are so much more than the explanatory text. They
may include charts, extracts, copies of documents, research calendars, a
cover letter and more. All of them together make up the copyrighted report,
and often the various elements further substantiate the conclusions in the
narrative text. To allow a portion of the total report to be distributed
without all the critical elements runs the risk of separating the proof
(evidence) from the conclusions, allowing a later reader to doubt the
validity of the findings the researcher worked so hard to determine.

Our clients appreciate this level of protection we offer for our hard work,
since we are really protecting their investment. We do, upon request,
provide a PDF file of the entire report, although there may be an extra
charge for the scanning and creation, if the report is sizable.

Protecting our researchers' copyrights and conclusions is the professional,
ethical, and right thing to do.

Kory L. Meyerink, AG, FUGA

ProGenealogists, Inc.
PO Box 900188
Sandy, UT 84090-0188
(801) 596-3230
(801) 596-3380 Fax 24 hours
http://www.progenealogists.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Virginia L. Aldridge [mailto:]
Sent: Monday, June 07, 2004 6:52 PM
To:
Subject: Re: [APG] Would you give an additional report?


If you would decide to send your client an electronic file, you might wish
to send it in a secure format. Adobe Acrobat has an option for security
levels, you can set for your documents, if you choose to do so. It can be
set so no one can alter your document or print it if that is the choice you
make.

Regards,
Virginia


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