Quote:
Originally Posted by andy
It wouldn't even occur to me to ask permission before posting scans of a 30 year old brochure. Sounds like a law firm trying to justify their fee. I've never even heard of anyone getting into trouble for posting something like that. Considering all the web sites selling scans of service manuals (presumably without permission), I can't imagine they would care about something like this.
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What spurred me to ask? I searched to see if the guide was already online via Google - and a Google news result (when Google used to display news stories related to your search, much like they do now with images) had a news item where a University (I think it was Iowa State) student was posting RCA PA Amp service literature to a public accessible university server, and RCA trolls found the stuff, and he and the school were threatened by RCA lawyers. They did the DMCA thing and removed the offending copies, but the University had already experienced "exposure" and kicked the student out. The article went on to say that a simple request often cleared the way, so I was enlightened. The rest is in my narrative above.
Just following the letter of the law. Remember, anything with the copyright not renewed that was published 1964 and prior is clear, but due diligence is still required - many companies exist only on copyright clearance fees.
Edit:
I ain't a lawyer, so follow my advice with extreme caution.
GE/RCA/Harris did grant permission to reproduce individual datasheets, app notes, and sales literature, but no service lit, no "accessory guides" or databooks. Raytheon was similar - our Navy pubs office had all the copyright clearance details for most manufacturers, as the DoD went all-electronic with their commercially produced paper publications in 1998/99. Tektronix has always been the most lenient - all out-of-print service lit entered the public domain by a letter posted in 1997 to the web. One of my buddies made a fortune scanning and selling Tek reprints in the early days of eBay. One of Disney's Imagineers bought some 300 bucks worth of reprints from him on Easter Sunday in 1998. I have a copy of his 120GB server drive, but nothing I really need, and there are probably better copies elsewhere...