Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Re: Internet Alchemy

Author:Dan Libby
Posted:6/15/1999; 11:31:55 AM
Topic:Internet Alchemy
Msg #:7401 (In response to 7346)
Prev/Next:7400 / 7402

To paraphrase the My Netscape docs on the matter:

By providing a Summary File to the My Netscape Network, you agree to the following: . . . - You must be authorized to represent an organization or entity if your Channel is associated with that particular organization or entity

and also:

You may not use your Channel to . . . - Infringe intellectual property, including patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets

That said, these are only Netscape's conditions. I have no idea about the legalities when you are syndicating amongst yourselves. I've seen horror stories about companies suing just because others were linking to the "wrong" parts of the their site, so it seems likely this WILL become an issue. My own view is that the web is inherently linkable and (and even copyable), and if you don't like it, you shouldn't publish to it, but I might be in the minority...

Further, it could probably be argued that if you create a "description" of a website with an RSS file, then you have in effect, authored new content (the RSS), and it is therefore an original work. But maybe that's why I'm not a lawyer. ;-)

-dan (not speaking for Netscape)




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