War of the Worlds: Get the e-book free
Now that War of the Worlds is invading movie theaters, why not read the free e-book from a site such as Gutenberg, Blackmask, Manybooks.net or GutenTalk? You can also use the Wikipedia to find out about H.G. Wells–a brilliant popular-level writer, plagiarism notwithstanding. Here’s the Internet trailer for the Spielberg film starring Tom Cruise and based on one of Wells’ scariest and most famous works. Oh, and speaking of Martians, don’t forget Edgar Rice Burroughs and A Princess of Mars.
For parents: What’s the lowdown here? Is it okay to tell your child, “Read the e-book and we’ll go to the movie for sure–and maybe a bonus film as well?” Or is it wrong to position fun e-books as something to wade through for a reward? Coments? What other tips do you have about using movie PR to interest kids in e-books? Oh, and by the way, if you want to speak your feelings, I can post a short MP3 file from you. You could even include your child’s opinion of your opinion. Yo, Ellen Hage and Steve Breen and Roger Sperberg! This invitation’s especially for you if you have time and a few thoughts.
Question for the lawyers While on the Gutenberg site, I noticed that a copyright notice accompanied an excerpt from War of the Worlds. Also, what’s PG’s policy on copyright of book reviews? Perhaps Gutenberg should go out of its way to say that the copyright notice applies simply to the site per se and not to public domain content, even excerpts. At the very least a Creative Commons license could cover such situations. Similarly the CC approach could cover book reviews to make clear that noncommercial use was okay.
June 28th, 2005 at 4:56 pm
I see a license at the bottom of your webpage too. Is that for entries, for the entire site, or just for the WordPress template?
But yes, some clarity would be nice, especially if we purport to distribute public domain works.
June 28th, 2005 at 9:01 pm
Hi, Branko. Unless the authors object–and no one has so far–everything on the whole TeleRead site falls under the CC license for free noncommercial use. I had the CC license on the blog even before I switched to our favorite blogging system. At some point I need to update the FAQ and mention that whole site is CC unless entries state otherwise. Meanwhile keep us posted on PG. I have this BIG thing against publishers trying to copyright PD stuff, and I’m confidence you share my feelings. I suspect that PG will have no problem setting a good example. Thanks. - David
June 29th, 2005 at 8:27 am
David, you are not addressing what’s at the heart of the matter, both here and at PG; that parts of your site and of PG’s come from different contributors. For instance, someone wrote WordPress, and they own the copyright on that. Someone wrote the entries, and they own the copyright on that. Someone wrote the comments, and they own the copyright on that.
It is not clear from your license to which parts of your site it refers. You cannot relicence what you do not own.
I suspect the problem at PG is simply that: that someone put a blanket statement in an HTML template that ended up on the entire site, even on the bits that the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation does not own.
Anyway, I sent off an e-mail to Greg Newby, because I do think this is an issue we should address, if only to set the right example.
June 30th, 2005 at 1:01 pm
OK, Branko. Since you contribute very-much-appreciated comments for the TeleBlog, you’re part of the show. Draft a short copyright statement that I can put on an FAQ page for TeleRead. In my opinion, the CC link from the blog covers the essentials, and if any contributors want more restrictive use, then they can advise me or say so themselves. As for parts of the site outside the blog, everyone was working for free and did not expect any big deals. No one has raised copyright issues. If that happens, though, I’m ready to insert appropriate notices.
PG is a somewhat different situation from TeleRead. When it does excerpts from public domain classics, they at times may be just about the only text on the page. I don’t see this as a major issue for PG, but it is worth addressing. I’m trying to be helpful. We know how publishers love to claim public domain material as their own–and not just by accident as PG is doing. “By example” is the operative phrase.
Thanks, and hello to Greg.
David
David
June 30th, 2005 at 6:57 pm
David, I am fine with how the Teleread blog is. I realize that it is different with PG, if only because PG has to set the right example. But on a legal level it there is no difference.
Until recently, copyright has always been about getting along. Authors sued publishers, not readers. And we still identify the trouble-makers (RIAA, MPAA, the DOJ) by the fact that they are not trying to get along, but stage a war instead.
The fact that we don’t need no stinking copyrights most of the time (except to stop outright plagiarism, brand-theft and commercial use of our mostly non-commercial writings) shows that most of the world is still comfortable with the old copyright model, where not every use required permission and not every statement a license. I am perfectly happy to let you do with my comments whatever you wish, as long as you do not change them.
No license required.
June 30th, 2005 at 7:00 pm
BTW, Greg wrote back that he is going to suggest a solution to the webmaster (Marcello Perathoner, if I am not mistaken).
June 30th, 2005 at 8:35 pm
Cool. Lemme know when PG makes the changes, and I’ll do a friendly item noting that commercial publishers, too, should care.
As for your comments to the TeleBlog, the truth is that I’ve privately done a deal with Random House to collect ‘em in a book for a cool $3 million.
NOT ONE PENNY, Branko, will go to you. All of the money is destined for the Sonny Bono Reincarnation Society. OK. Secret is out. Now you know why Sonny’s widow wanted copyright to last one day short of eternity.
David
November 10th, 2006 at 12:49 am
If you ever get a chance to, listen to the old audio recording of the original War of the Worlds. It’s pretty good, and people throught it was really happening when they heard it on the radio.