discuss: Thread: Copyright Infringement of 'Linux Dictionary'

Dear LDP,

I'm afraid someone has infringed upon the copyright of
the 'Linux Dictionary' guide once again. I sent an
e-mail which is below to the people concerned. Could
you please inform me whether it would be possible for
the LDP to issue an official response before I
escalate this matter?

Yours Sincerely,
Binh Nguyen.

>
Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is Binh Nguyen, original author of the 'Linux
Dictionary'. It has recently come to my attention that
you have been infringing rather dramatically and
blatantly upon the copyright of one of my works
(http://www.linuxdig.com/documents/dictionary.php,
www.tldp.org/guides.html).

I strongly advise you to source the work as soon as
possible and to read the distribution license that was
originally included as part of the
document. Otherwise, I will be forced to undertake
legal proceedings against your organisation.

Yours Sincerely,
Binh Nguyen.
>

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Binh,

Have you received any feedback from these people?  Is anybody doing 
something about this infringement?  I still see no change at 
linuxdig.com...

Tille.

- -- 

My Penguin, my freedom.		http://tille.soti.org
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On Mon, May 10, 2004 at 01:51:18PM -0500, Machtelt Garrels wrote:
> Have you received any feedback from these people?  Is anybody doing 
> something about this infringement?  I still see no change at 
> linuxdig.com...

I couldn't see much *content* on their site ... there's a number of HOWTOs
pulled from the LDP (mine included), but I didn't see much that was
original on their site. Is it possible that a script is pulling parts of
the dictionary without getting the full copyrighted page somehow? (Note:
I'm in no way condoning what they're doing! I'm just trying to figure out
how they got the copyright notice on my document ok, but not on the
dictionary...)

emma

-- 
Emma Jane Hogbin
[[ 416 417 2868 ][ www.xtrinsic.com ]]

 --- Emma Jane Hogbin ####@####.#### wrote: >
On Mon, May 10, 2004 at 01:51:18PM -0500, Machtelt
> Garrels wrote:
> > Have you received any feedback from these people? 
> Is anybody doing 
> > something about this infringement?  I still see no
> change at 
> > linuxdig.com...
> 
> I couldn't see much *content* on their site ...
> there's a number of HOWTOs
> pulled from the LDP (mine included), but I didn't
> see much that was
> original on their site. Is it possible that a script
> is pulling parts of
> the dictionary without getting the full copyrighted
> page somehow? (Note:
> I'm in no way condoning what they're doing! I'm just
> trying to figure out
> how they got the copyright notice on my document ok,
> but not on the
> dictionary...)
> 
> emma

Thanks for replying,

Awww.... I'm fairly sure that the whole dictionary is
there. For example, take a look at the definition for
.tar.gz and the spelling error (stnad) for the
definition for '3dwm'). I'm guessing that they made a
few 'bot assisted additions.

I sent them an initial e-mail on the 6 May via their
web interface. No answer.... I'll give it a few more
days before giving them a phone call.... Me get the
feeling that its an entirely 'botted site though,
sigh.... and that they are pulling the dictionary
contents directly from CVS, double sigh.... 

Triple sigh, ;(
Binh.

Find local movie times and trailers on Yahoo! Movies.
http://au.movies.yahoo.com

On Tue, May 11, 2004 at 11:45:25AM +1000, Binh Nguyen wrote:
> Awww.... I'm fairly sure that the whole dictionary is
> there. For example, take a look at the definition for
> .tar.gz and the spelling error (stnad) for the
> definition for '3dwm'). I'm guessing that they made a
> few 'bot assisted additions.

/me sighs. Not cool. But if it is a bot-generated site, is there a way
that you can incorporate your name/copyright info into the dictionary
before it's grabbed? I seem to recall you're ok with people having a copy
of it as long as they give you credit?

If the entire thing is bot-generated who knows if there will be anyone
there to answer your call. Let us know how it goes, of course! But I also
wonder if you could somehow add an extra copyright notice onto your files
so that bot-driven sites give you the correct credits?

emma

-- 
Emma Jane Hogbin
[[ 416 417 2868 ][ www.xtrinsic.com ]]

On Mon, May 10, 2004 at 09:53:51PM -0400, Emma Jane Hogbin wrote:
> On Tue, May 11, 2004 at 11:45:25AM +1000, Binh Nguyen wrote:
> > Awww.... I'm fairly sure that the whole dictionary is
> > there. For example, take a look at the definition for
> > .tar.gz and the spelling error (stnad) for the
> > definition for '3dwm'). I'm guessing that they made a
> > few 'bot assisted additions.
> 
> /me sighs. Not cool. But if it is a bot-generated site, is there a way
> that you can incorporate your name/copyright info into the dictionary
> before it's grabbed? I seem to recall you're ok with people having a copy
> of it as long as they give you credit?

It also seems wrong that they make it appear to be their work, as in:
"The LinuxDig.com Linux Dictionary is currently in Beta
You can help, email Comments or Suggestion here."

-- 
Doug Jensen

 --- doug jensen ####@####.#### wrote: > On Mon,
May 10, 2004 at 09:53:51PM -0400, Emma Jane
> Hogbin wrote:
> > On Tue, May 11, 2004 at 11:45:25AM +1000, Binh
> Nguyen wrote:
> > > Awww.... I'm fairly sure that the whole
> dictionary is
> > > there. For example, take a look at the
> definition for
> > > .tar.gz and the spelling error (stnad) for the
> > > definition for '3dwm'). I'm guessing that they
> made a
> > > few 'bot assisted additions.
> > 
> > /me sighs. Not cool. But if it is a bot-generated
> site, is there a way
> > that you can incorporate your name/copyright info
> into the dictionary
> > before it's grabbed? I seem to recall you're ok
> with people having a copy
> > of it as long as they give you credit?
> 
> It also seems wrong that they make it appear to be
> their work, as in:
> "The LinuxDig.com Linux Dictionary is currently in
> Beta
> You can help, email Comments or Suggestion here."
> 
> -- 
> Doug Jensen

Hi guys,

Gosh.... This fella's really starting to get on my
nerves.... Grrr-r-r-r :) What I'm currently thinking
is adding a copyright notice at the bottom of each
page now. I'm also considering an incentive scheme (I
know this sound nuts but please bear with me....).
Whoever does something useful with it will be
considered as an official part of the 'Linux
Dictionary Project'? which will mean that they'll be
in the front page credits of the TLDP version.

Yours,
Binh.

PS - Does anyone know of any good open source lawyers? :)

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http://au.movies.yahoo.com

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On Tue, 11 May 2004, Binh Nguyen wrote:

> PS - Does anyone know of any good open source lawyers? :)

FSF has a couple, if I'm not mistaking.
BTW We're helping you shame them into behaving: I made it an item in th WN 
which Giridhar will publish tomorrow.

Tille.

- -- 

My Penguin, my freedom.		http://tille.soti.org
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> > PS - Does anyone know of any good open source
> lawyers? :)
> 
> FSF has a couple, if I'm not mistaking.
> BTW We're helping you shame them into behaving: I
> made it an item in th WN 
> which Giridhar will publish tomorrow.
> 
> Tille.

Thankyou Tille and LDPWN people. I actually feel half
sorry for this bugger. If only he'd reply.... I sent
an e-mail to his company address this morning.

Yours,
Binh.

Find local movie times and trailers on Yahoo! Movies.
http://au.movies.yahoo.com

On Tue, May 11, 2004 at 05:27:28PM +1000, Binh Nguyen wrote:
> 
> PS - Does anyone know of any good open source lawyers? :)

If you assign the copyright to the FSF they will act on the violation,
if not, they will still assist the copyright holder.

http://www.fsf.org/licenses/gpl-violation.html

-- 
Doug Jensen