|
Greeting and Toasts to the members;
I just wanted to add a bit on the copyright issues and
genealogy. Amber Dalakas was on the mark when
she pointed out that the data or facts are not subject of copyright while the
expression of those facts is a subject matter of copyright. Now I do not get
professionally ulcerated very much on genealogical copyright because the
commercial value is nominal and content highly personal. '
I also suggest that there are two major
international conventions recognized by law that help our appreciation when it
comes to identifying proprietary issues. They have to be followed, to even begin
to establish copyright and the internet is a new territory depending on the
country of hosting, and retreival location. So I am not sure that the interest
and concern is legal as much as ethical and practical.
I have met some professional genealogists over
the list, Karen Matheson, Wanda Sinclair, Jean Grimbsy to mention 3 who have
very strong credentials in genealogy and offer directly or indirectly
personalized search and retrevial services and who put a lot of their heart and
soul documenting information so that it is available for public and/or private
consumption. The work that these individuals do from time and energy is
expensive and sharing it is at times even more expensive. Ethically I suggest
that our generation and the generation to come will be greatly indebted to these
type of individuals that have spent so much of their lives documenting the
history of lives lived and loved. May I suggest that when gifts are given they
are and should be returned. There is a difference between exchanging information
and simply consuming information. Riding on the coat tails of anothers efforts
is without value. Investing in the collection and distribution of information is
of value. Just a thought.
Neil Sinclair
Argyll/PEI/Toronto
|