Science

Yabut, yabut. Google isn't the only place to get HTML access to newsgroups.

So? Unless Dragonwater is actually getting code or messages from Google, Google has no say in the matter.

That's something I never understood. Why is posted material considered to be in the public domain? U.S. copyright law states that rights are retained unless specific notice is made to put it in the p.d. yet I know that publishers consider posts to be in the public domain, also.

The home page has a list of 5 subjects. If no one's monitoring the TeaTalk page, maybe they'll notice it on the home page.

Actually, it's not copyright infringement because as soon as someone clicks the "send" or "post" button, they are consenting to have their writing distributed on NNTP servers around the world. And they have no say in what software agent is used to read that message - be it free-standing software or a HTML interface, or about who gets to read it.

The content of those messages, however, is copyrighted just like any other written work. How something is described or written about on Usenet is the intellectual property of the originator - although the idea itself has no such protection save a patent.

Oh, A-freakin'-men!

As we've already seen, the owner doesn't seem to even be monitoring the messages. Spamming our group to get her/his/their attention isn't a solution.

So?

Huh???

Say, listen. I've been up all night and I'm tired. Maybe I wasn't thinking clearly but the email's long gone and there's no sense in arguing with me about it now 'cause I can't pull it back.

Later.

It's not public domain. Neither is copyright absolute. By participating in a newsgroup, you assent to have your message shared. You have no say in what software is used to read it.

What you can claim is that the content of your posts is copyrighted. But, since all attribution is being given in the TeaTalk forum, you'd have a hard time claiming infringement.

So, Google isn't the only place to get newsgroup feed. Google simply picks up the feed from the NNTP system. They don't own it or control it.

So they can't say anything about someone who isn't using their software and isn't accessing their servers.

Oh, I'm not intending to argue with you. I'm simply pointing out that it doesn't matter what Google's terms of service are if DragonWater doesn't have a "relationship" with Google.

Since DragonWater appears to be getting their NNTP feed from uswest.net (at least that's where posts are coming from), the question is whether or not they have violated the USWest.net terms of service.

Get some rest. Being up all night isn't much fun.

That's because it's complicated! I'm a lawyer, and know the subject, but for a layman, it would take some background reading. Perhaps there are some summaries of copyright as it applies to usenet that can be found if you Google, but I don't know. Look for a reliable source (law journals, law texts and law compilations from a recognized legal publisher) since most folks who post "definitive answers" on this subject are clueless...

In a nutshell, it's because posting one's writings (as differentiated from the permissive publication of previously copyrighted material that is so marked) to usenet is basically giving permission to an endless list of users to re-publish and modify the material, then re-publish it again and again - which is exactly what happens on usenet.

Exactly!

That's actually a better idea than a petition. Who wants to write it? heh.

Mydnight

-------------------- thus then i turn me from my countries light, to dwell in the solemn shades of an endless night.

Fight spam with spam, eh?

At least it would be spam with purposes other than monitary gain or computer explotation. heh.

Mydnight

-------------------- thus then i turn me from my countries light, to dwell in the solemn shades of an endless night.

Spam is spam is spam. There are no comparative levels.

So spam that destroys your computer vs. spam that gets someone's attention isn't comparable?

Mydnight

-------------------- thus then i turn me from my countries light, to dwell in the solemn shades of an endless night.

If you get spam that destroys your computer, you need to look into some computer security.

As for getting someone's attention - that isn't a guarantee that you'll get the response you desire.

Go for a once a month note about it, or put it in the FAQ in a generic way:

Some web sites which sell tea set up http access to this group. This group, rec.food.drink.tea, is not affiliated with any tea seller on or off the web, and is a part of a global floodfill messaging system called Usenet or netnews. Messages in this group originate on any connected server and appear on most other connected servers, both pure network news transfer protocol-based and web-based in a matter of minutes. No one server is responsible for this group.

Or something to that effect.

Dragonwater is not the only tea selling site (or foodie site) on the web that is offering users access to read our posts, but it may be the only one offering posting capabilities. Just Google a phrase from some post and see what pops up. Just an FYI, carry on.

Melinda