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Old 12th Oct 2018, 8:39 am   #34
G6Tanuki
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 13,951
Default Re: Unfair use of service manuals

I view this issue with a pragmatic eye. While my Google-fu is usually strong and I can root out online copies of manuals/schematics, sometimes I'm just not in the mood/don't have the inclination, and then spending a fiver on a printed copy that arrives the next day is - in my estimation - a good investment.

Moreso if my printer's out of ink or playing up in some way.

As to intellectual-property issues: the issue is usually about whether significant effort has been made in adapting/reworking the original. Scanning a document - I wouldn't say that means your electronic copy contains significant IP of your own, but if you scan it *then* put time/effort into reworking it to make it significantly more-readable you may hav an IP claim.

I'm reminded of the way that music publishers were able to claim copyright on their sheet-music even when the composer of the work was centuries-dead. They weren't claiming copyright on the arrangement-of-the-notes-in-the-music itself, they were claiming copyright on their effort involved in the layout/typesetting.
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