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Archiver > ROWANROOTS > 1998-04 > 0893308127


From: Greg Simmons <>
Subject: Copyrights
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 22:08:47 -0700


I have been reading the post on Copyrights. I can see both
sides of a issue. I know people work hard on a book and spend a lot of
money to publish the Book. They also are discouraged when people copy
their material and pass it along with out paying for it. That is fine is
Good.

I think what they need to look at in the Copyrights issue is
why someone can take Public information like death, birth, marriage
records and cemetery dates off Tombstone, Etc. Etc. Etc. and copyright
them and call them their own. Yes they went and copied the dates and did
the work, but their public records. Anyone can go and get a copy of
these records. They are public records, I do not see how the law allows
them to take public records and make them Private or Copyrighted when
anyone can go andd see the same records.

A Family Bible that you personally own and no one else has
is copyrighted, I can see this. But people who go and get Public,
Birth, death, and Marriage certificates and then put the information in
a book, This I can not see. What is public information should remain
Public and not be allowed to be copyrighted.

Greg Simmons

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