Agent 99 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> John,
>
> You have every right to defend your company and
> personal reputation. I'm not a lawyer and so don't
> fully understand all the implications here. Since
> you've elected to post publically on this issue
> maybe you could help me and others understand a
> few things:
>
> I don't understand how material posted on a world
> wide website can be regarded as "stolen" when such
> material is then reposted on a world wide web
> discussion forum and the resulting "discussion"
> gets ugly. Anyone who posts material in
> unrestricted public forums should fully expect
> that doing so opens you up to comments from
> uninformed people, people who may have axes to
> grind with you, or people who are just plain
> stupid.....shouldn't they?
>
> Also - please correct me if I'm wrong - these so
> called "public" forums are actually private chat
> rooms - established, administered and funded by
> private individuals or organizations, who can run
> them as they please. There is no 1st amendment in
> these settings. Anyone visiting has to decide if
> they like the terms of participation - which a lot
> of times means being moderated and/or exposed to
> criticism from the owners or other participants.
> If you don't like the setting - or the owners
> don't like you - you can leave, or they can kick
> you out, or they can make your staying so
> miserable you regret ever participating.
>
> Sounds to me like you have a clear case against
> people who wrote letters directly to your clients
> or potential clients denigrating you or your
> company. The fact that these same people may or
> may not also post on internet discussion forums
> shouldn't have anything to do with it. The forums
> may have been the vehicle for exposing you to
> denigration but it was YOU who placed yourself
> there. How that could directly be the discussion
> forum's fault is what I don't see. If forum
> moderators behave poorly or in a manner you don't
> agree with, or you don't like how other
> participants behave, that sucks - don't go there
> anymore - which is what it looks like you've done
> - so what's the beef? I think we all have a rosy
> picture of what a discussion forum could or should
> be: a thoughtful, respectful, knowledgeable
> collaboration between people with common
> interests. Unfortunately we all know what they
> really are - a sometimes wonderful place where we
> can share opinions, knowledge, and experience -
> and sometimes a raw exposure of the ugly side of
> human nature. They come together as a package.
>
> Also seems to me you should even be very careful
> what you post on your own website - on the WORLD
> WIDE WEB. Anyone and everyone is going to be able
> to see it and do whatever they're going to do with
> it. A website is a very valuable tool for
> promoting yourself but it is also a tremendous
> exposure. Anything controversial presented there
> is going to open you up to criticism. You should
> expect and be prepared for that - shouldn't you?
>
> As for posting on discussion forums with real
> names - who's to say anyone is representing
> themselves as "real"? There is no way to control
> that. You could be John Rimmasch, or you could
> just as easily be Joe Schmo saying you're John
> Rimmasch. I, for one, would never dream of posting
> under my "real" name. Would it change the content
> or meaning of what I have to say, or just open me
> up to attack, not only on the discussion forum but
> out in the "real" world? WHY would I want to do
> that?
>
> I truly hope you're successful in defending
> yourself against the attacks that have directly
> damaged you or your company. If I'm all wet in my
> assumptions about websites and discussion forums
> I'd sure like to be enlightened. Seems like if
> anything derogatory posted on websites was fodder
> for legal action the courts wouldn't be able to do
> anything else.
>
> 99 out


What about copyrighted material from somewhere else,
copied and used, without permission?

For example, post some paragraphs from a Tom Clancy
novel and claim it is your own work or that it was
NOT his work?