Re: Fair Use

From: Robert Honan <robertus[_at_]harbornet.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 22:53:25 -0700

Ruth Dukelow <dukelow[_at_]mlc.lib.mi.us> wrote:
>
> On Fri, 27 Jun 1997, Steven Farmer <lsf97[_at_]aol.com> wrote:
> >
> > I plan to self-publish an Internet guidebook, "101 Great Web Sites",
> > and want to use a screenshot of the homepage from each site. I believe
> > doing so would fall under the Doctrine of Fair Use.
>
> Instead of spending time and money to argue this later in court, why not
> take a little time now to get the permission up front? Almost all web
> pages have email addresses for comments -- it should be fairly easy to
> email each web page and ask for permission.

     I can't agree more. As a web designer, there would be nothing I would love more that to have someone ask permission to put a screen shot of my page in a book along with some complimentary descriptive text. But, if they did so without my permission, I would expect the text to be *very* complimentary. Remember, it does not hurt, or cost much, to ask for permission first.

     On the whole, to paraphrase Bob Cumbow: It is better to walk the broad avenue of legality than it is to walk the thin line of technicality. My apologies if I attributed the original sentiment to the wrong author.

Cheers,

Robert Joseph Honan
robertus[_at_]harbornet.com
http://www.harbornet.com/folks/honan/index.html =+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+= 1L in the fall of '98 'till then,
studying everything I can.

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"Uncle Milty sensed the telegenic
possibilities of dressing up in women's clothing 50 years before Dennis Rodman. "

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Received on Wed Jul 02 1997 - 05:58:13 GMT