PALUZERN-L Archives

Archiver > PALUZERN > 1998-03 > 0888786970


From: "Frances G. Rouse" <>
Subject: Re: [Fwd: Broderbund WFT Copyright infringement and Privacy act violation]
Date: Sun, 01 Mar 1998 16:16:10 -0500


OK,it is time I got my two cents in, first off any information that we
spedn thousands of dollars to obtain is already public information. I
can get your ancestors information and you can get mine. Broderbund
knows this, frankly, if you want to get bent of shape over its
publication then sue the courthouses, tax department, and so on for
keeping this information in the first place. If you copyright your book
that is one thing, but the information in that book is still public
domain. If I want to write a book I can use the same information but
not in your format.

wrote:
>
> In my opinion, it is a shame that people like Mr. Forbes exist in the
> world of genealogy.
>
> I don't have any problem with him publishing his research and selling it
> to recoup his investment. But I DO have a problem with him declaring his
> research off limits to amateur genealogist methods which treat his work
> as a resource. No one owns the past, and simple math shows how many
> people have a right to a given past as each step is taken back through
> the generations.
>
> I have difficulty seeing the rights that the companies such as
> Broderbund express when they solicit my work for their profit. But,
> while I won't submit my effort to them, I can see why others might,
> feeling that, by doing so, they expand the universe that they are
> searching. And I see very little possibility for the individual
> submitting to make any profit off that submission, the 10 dollar
> enticement to submit not even paying for a CD from Broderbund.
>
> When Mr. Forbes intrudes on the world of the genealogical message boards
> and uses the people therein to further his revenge, I don't see a just
> cause, I see pettiness and a complete ignorance of what we are about.
>
> I apologize for mouthing off - I don't very often - but this type of
> nonsense can only lead to the time when I won't even be able to research
> my ancestors because no one will give data without fear of censure.
>
> H.R.Stevens...
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Subject: Broderbund WFT Copyright infringement and Privacy act violation
> Resent-Date: Sat, 28 Feb 1998 13:50:28 -0800 (PST)
> Resent-From:
> Date: Sat, 28 Feb 1998 13:53:06 -0800
> From: "Ken Forbes" <>
> To: "WOLFE Surname List" <>,
> "WILKINSON Surname List" <>,
> "Wheeler Surname List" <>,
> "TUBBS Surname List" <>,
> "STEELE Surname List" <>,
> "SEELY Surname List" <>,
> "Roots-L Genealogy List" <>,
> "Roots Surname List" <>,
> "New York Genealogy List" <>,
> "New England Genealogy List" <>,
> "Mid-Atlantic Genealogy List" <>,
> "MARSHALL Surname List" <>,
> "Luzerne County List" <>,
> "Lackawanna County List" <>,
> "HENDERSON Surname List" <>,
> "HARTMAN Surname List" <>,
> "HARRISON Surname List" <>,
> "FRANKLIN Surname List" <>,
> "DODSON Surname List" <>,
> "ARNOLD Surname List" <>
>
> Thank you all for your responses to my inquiry regarding the identity of the
> submitter of the WFT tree on Volume 15. I now know the name of that person.
> The submitter did not have my permission to present my work to Broderbund,
> nor did Broderbund have the right to publish it. Because of this, Broderbund
> has a two-fold legal problem: Copyright infringement and privacy act
> violation.
>
> I discovered yesterday that Broderbund published my copyrighted research
> without my permission. The gathering of my family data has been the result
> of my effort. I have volumes of receipts, letters, and other data to show
> that this is my research. I have spent literally thousands of dollars on
> travel, rare books, archived data, and other source material, and the
> submitter was evidently rewarded with a token $10 coupon for my efforts.
>
> Second problem: There are numerous surviving individuals shown on the CD who
> did not give permission to have their names and relationships published
> throughout the world.
>
> Ken
>
> ==== PALUZERN Mailing List ====
> Have you Visited Luzerne County Genweb Recently?
> http://www.rootsweb.com/~paluzer

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