The author of the original article posted here requested that I remove it. He contended that it was a violation of his copyright to re-post the entire article. He went on to threaten “… otherwise, I will initiate legal proceeding against you.” [sic]
The article suggested a pretty good idea. Now I could have simply restated the author’s idea without any attribution at all. I wouldn’t do that because it’s a really good idea and I think he should get the credit for it.
I don’t dare mention the idea or link to the article now.
The remainder of the article in question mostly contained oft-repeated advice about clothing that you will also find in these associated articles at ScoutmasterCG.com:
Campmor gear list for ScoutsTen Tips for Buying Gear
What follows is a bit of musing/ranting on the situation. Please don’t read it unless you want your ear bent.
After re-posting hundreds of references and entire articles over the past six years this is the first such request I have received. I always post attributions and links to these articles (as I did with his) and in no way represent them as my work.
I publish my articles to (hopefully) benefit the Scouting community and they may be reposted on other blogs, printed and distributed for free – all I ask is a mention that I am the author and/or a link to the original article.
As a blogger I think the request from this author is self-defeating- having your articles linked to and re-posted is usually regarded as complimentary and advances your work as an author. Many of my full articles have been re-posted on other blogs. I am happy to have been mentioned, having someone value my work, and welcome the additional readers.
I would get chapped if someone simply cut and pasted my writing and then claimed it as their own, or just changed a few words here and there and took credit for my work. Now that would be aggravating but I really can’t see threatening them with ‘legal action’. Suppose someone ham-handedly cut and pasted one of my articles and posted it somewhere without attribution or spelled my name wrong? Time to call in the lawyers? I don’t think so.
I didn’t do either of those things. I posted the full article here, preceded it with a statement of attribution and a link to the original graphically represented that it was a quote and I was complimentary about the thoughts it contained.
I have good ideas that I find have been around for many years and I am just the latest one to think them. It’s kind of like discovering a comet; the first person to record the discovery get’s to name the comet. When their discovery is celebrated and listed in astronomy journals worldwide do they threaten the people who report such things with lawyers?