Re: [syndication] Copyright and Syndication

[Aaron Swartz <aswartz@swartzfam.com>]

stephen.downes@ualberta.ca <stephen.downes@ualberta.ca> wrote:

> And second, it is *not* a standard web site term of service. Indeed, it would
> be the first website *ever* which has required me to sign a fax a form before
> use. Other websites do place copyright notices on their site, and some - a
> small minority - place terms of service - but even these cannot prevent me
> from, say, linking to them should I desire.

But you're not linking to them -- you're using their software and embedding
its output in your page. You may think it's a silly distinction, but it is
there. If you wanted to just link to a Moreover feed, I'm sure they're fine
with that, but if you want to use it to add value to your site, they want
you to play by their rules. That's all.

> This interpretation is substantiated by an additional clause in the
> agreement, which states, "Company agrees that it shall not... (iii)
> compile or create any derivative product based upon the Moreover
> Intellectual Property, any other confidential information, or any
> methodology of Moreover..." which again is laying claim to much more
> than their C++ program. I don't think my interpretation is a stretch.

That's a more serious claim. I don't like the sound of that "methodology of
Moreover" and would not like to sign away my rights to create a product
based on it. That's some serious stuff, and I agree Moreover should not be
making people sign away those rights.

> Name me one other website which requires that you fax a signed
> contract before you open it in your browser.

This is not opening it in your browser -- this is embedding it on your site.
The two are very different.

-- 
        Aaron Swartz         |"This information is top security.
<http://swartzfam.com/aaron/>|     When you have read it, destroy yourself."
  <http://www.theinfo.org/>  |             - Marshall McLuhan