Re: [dvd-discuss] IDSA Forces Arcade Game Manual Archive Offline

[microlenz(at)earthlink.net]

On 24 Jun 2003 at 0:41, Jeme A Brelin wrote:

Date sent:      	Tue, 24 Jun 2003 00:41:07 -0700 (PDT)
From:           	Jeme A Brelin <jeme@brelin.net>
To:             	Openlaw DMCA Forum <dvd-discuss@eon.law.harvard.edu>
Subject:        	Re: [dvd-discuss] IDSA Forces Arcade Game Manual Archive 
Offline
Send reply to:  	dvd-discuss@eon.law.harvard.edu

> 
> On Tue, 24 Jun 2003, John Galt wrote:
> > On Mon, 23 Jun 2003, Jeme A Brelin wrote:
> > >On Mon, 23 Jun 2003, Steve Stearns wrote:
> > >> What I can't fathom here is why this DMCA action was launched.  It's not
> > >> clear to me that the IDSA has any authority to bring action in this case. 
> > >> Who is the copyright holder, and what interest do they have in protecting
> > >> these manuals?  Clearly the commercial value of these documents is quite
> > >> limited given that your friend couldn't find anybody willing to sell him a
> > >> copy.
> > >
> > >The maker of new equipment has a vested interest in keeping repair manuals
> > >for old equipment out of the hands of the public.  If you can't fix it, you
> > >have to buy a new one.
> >
> > What does this have to do with standing in a copyright suit for the old
> > manuals?  That'd qualify the IDSA as an _Amicus Curiae_ certainly, but not as
> > a Plaintiff.
> 
> Perhaps I should have trimmed more of the original post before sending my
> reply.  I simply meant to note that the commercial value of the documents
> doesn't have to be at all related to their availability, but rather to
> their "unavailability".  This applies to only the last sentence I quoted.

IANAL but would this qualify as an abuse of copyright issue? They own the 
copyright but are using it to prevent the use of personal property. I'd say so.

> 
> J.
> -- 
>    -----------------
>      Jeme A Brelin
>     jeme@brelin.net
>    -----------------
>  [cc] counter-copyright
>  http://www.openlaw.org