A Few Words About A few words about...™ Vendors, film piracy and national security (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

Seeing many snazzy images used by members as part of their profiles, I wonder how many of those images are copyrighted, and, if so, whether the user has licensed their use?

I believe that many of those images would fall under "fair use," as no one is being harmed by that use. Some, like mine are an homage to the work of others. In using The Archers logo here, I'm not purporting to be producing films under its banner. What a thrill that would have been!RAH

 

[Richard V]

For the record, I am not a member of CTU, nor am I masquerading as Jack Bauer.

 

[Professor Echo]

With all the holier than thou stone casting going on in this thread, I have repented and am now paying the Native American Chief in my avatar royalties for the use of his image. I have seen the light. God bless us everyone.

 

[Moe Dickstein]

I have officially licensed my avatar to myself, as it is a screenshot of a music video I wrote and directed.

 

[Robert Harris]

I have officially licensed my avatar to myself, as it is a screenshot of a music video I wrote and directed.

Looks suspiciously like Gasim...

RAH

 

[Charles Smith]

Whoa! Sure does...

 

[schan1269]

If it were "allowed"...I have a painting(as in on my wall) of the cover of the book...

The Desert and The Dancing Girls.

NSFW if you Google it.

It would make a great avatar...

 

[Moe Dickstein]

Looks suspiciously like Gasim... RAH

I had the actor "play" a Gasim-like quality, however as we couldn't get the Arabian desert, we had to settle for Lake Michigan.

 

[bigshot]

I just stole all your watches!

 

[bigshot]

I believe that many of those images would fall under "fair use," as no one is being harmed by that use.

Monetary damages enter into the penalty phase of copyright lawsuits, but the amount of damage makes no difference to whether there is a violation or not. Fair use is using an excerpt of a work for critical or educational use. Putting a pretty picture on your posts doesn't fall under fair use.

 

[bigshot]

In fact, now that I think of it, using an image to represent yourself might actually tread the line into Trademark too.

 

[Moe Dickstein]

Joke's on you, I don't wear a watch!

 

[Rick Thompson]

And where do some of those import CDs from the UK come in this? There, the performance copyright expires after 50 years, though the composer/lyricist/author copyright does not. These CDs are mastered from old LPs (albeit to a much higher standard than any consumer ever could), and while the authors are paid royalties, the performers are not. Result: a raft of 1950s/early 1960s reissues not released on domestic labels.

 

[Nelson Au]

Wow, I saw this thread last night and I am totally surprised by it. I hadn't realized this kind of pirating was going on at Amazon under their noses. It scares me because while I always try to buy discs locally at Costco or Best Buy, it surprises me that even their stock might be tainted.I do buy from Amazon when Best Buy or local venues don't carry a title because it is not the super mainstream hot title of that week's release. I did buy the third season of Star Trek The Next Generation blu ray set. Something I'd never do so I can get it in person. Hopefully a release like that, being so mainstream is the real deal.I did however buy a DVD last week that has given me pause now. Before I bought it, I was a little confused. I bought the Warner Archive Editon of PT-109 from Amazon. I wondered, how is it that Amazon has a Warner's made to order DVD-R disc to sell? It looks great and plays great. The cover art looks great, the printing on the disc itself looks very good quality, like a proper release. So how did Amazon get this? Warner maybe had stock left over from people who didn't buy them?And I've probably bought quite a few CDs from Amazon because they are hard to find titles. Only one disc didn't play on one of my older CD players, but played okay on a newer player. So I chalked it up to an old player not being able to read the disc. Out of curiosity, I bought another copy from Amazon. And the new disc played fine on my old player! Could have been a bad disc. Hopefully not a fake.

 

[Robert Harris]

Wow, I saw this thread last night and I am totally surprised by it. I hadn't realized this kind of pirating was going on at Amazon under their noses.It scares me because while I always try to buy discs locally at Costco or Best Buy, it surprises me that even their stock might be tainted.I do buy from Amazon when Best Buy or local venues don't carry a title because it is not the super mainstream hot title of that week's release. I did buy the third season of Star Trek The Next Generation blu ray set. Something I'd never do so I can get it in person. Hopefully a release like that, being so mainstream is the real deal.I did however buy a DVD last week that has given me pause now. Before I bought it, I was a little confused. I bought the Warner Archive Editon of PT-109 from Amazon. I wondered, how is it that Amazon has a Warner's made to order DVD-R disc to sell? It looks great and plays great. The cover art looks great, the printing on the disc itself looks very good quality, like a proper release. So how did Amazon get this? Warner maybe had stock left over from people who didn't buy them?And I've probably bought quite a few CDs from Amazon because they are hard to find titles. Only one disc didn't play on one of my older CD players, but played okay on a newer player. So I chalked it up to an old player not being able to read the disc. Out of curiosity, I bought another copy from Amazon. And the new disc played fine on my old player! Could have been a bad disc. Hopefully not a fake.

There are a few ways that discs can get into a system. One very good thing about Amazon is that they make returns (for whatever reason) easy. They're a great outfit, and copyright problems don't affect that.

RAH

 

[Mark-P]

I did however buy a DVD last week that has given me pause now. Before I bought it, I was a little confused. I bought the Warner Archive Editon of PT-109 from Amazon. I wondered, how is it that Amazon has a Warner's made to order DVD-R disc to sell? It looks great and plays great. The cover art looks great, the printing on the disc itself looks very good quality, like a proper release. So how did Amazon get this? Warner maybe had stock left over from people who didn't buy them?

Warner archive titles sold by Amazon are not bootlegs. The archive has expanded its distribution channels to many online retailers. In the case of Amazon, Warner gave permission to Amazon to burn and package MOD titles themselves. You should see a "manufactured by Amazon.com" notation somewhere on the label.

 

[Nelson Au]

Mark, Thanks a lot for the post! I'll look for any "Manufactured by Amazon.com" markings on the label when I get home. I did check my orders on line and the PT-109 disc was sold by Atlaslabs. Perhaps they are who Amazon uses to make the discs.

 

[Mark-P]

Mark,Thanks a lot for the post! I'll look for any "Manufactured by Amazon.com" markings on the label when I get home.I did check my orders on line and the PT-109 disc was sold by Atlaslabs. Perhaps they are who Amazon uses to make the discs.

Since you bought from a Marketplace seller, all bets are off. There's no telling where that disc originated from. I would never buy a MOD disc from a Marketplace seller or ebay because there's no way to distinguish it from a bootleg.

 

[Nelson Au]

Terrific! Perhaps it will go back to Amazon then if there are not made by Amazon markings on it.

 

[ROclockCK]

In fact, now that I think of it, using an image to represent yourself might actually tread the line into Trademark too.

I think most of our avatars fall [loosely] under "free promotion".