Comments on: National Post wants to copyright article titles http://boingboing.net/2013/03/15/national-post-wants-to-copyrig.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sat, 18 May 2013 15:23:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Peter http://boingboing.net/2013/03/15/national-post-wants-to-copyrig.html#comment-1682047 Peter Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=219035#comment-1682047 Although it's bad overall, at the very least, maybe it would get us away from every newspaper using the exact same bad puns when certain types of stories appear.   Although it’s bad overall, at the very least, maybe it would get us away from every newspaper using the exact same bad puns when certain types of stories appear.  

]]> By: Gerald Mander http://boingboing.net/2013/03/15/national-post-wants-to-copyrig.html#comment-1681823 Gerald Mander Mon, 18 Mar 2013 00:59:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=219035#comment-1681823  Can't wait to see the legal wrangling over "My Summer Vacation" and "Mother."  Can’t wait to see the legal wrangling over “My Summer Vacation” and “Mother.”

]]> By: elix http://boingboing.net/2013/03/15/national-post-wants-to-copyrig.html#comment-1681395 elix Sun, 17 Mar 2013 03:42:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=219035#comment-1681395 How would you ever cite a National Post article in reference to anything, ever again, without their explicit permission? How would you ever cite a National Post article in reference to anything, ever again, without their explicit permission?

]]> By: Marko Serafinowicz http://boingboing.net/2013/03/15/national-post-wants-to-copyrig.html#comment-1681317 Marko Serafinowicz Sat, 16 Mar 2013 22:08:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=219035#comment-1681317 That is just about the dumbest thing I've ever seen from an American, and that's saying something! That is just about the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen from an American, and that’s saying something!

]]> By: GTA_John http://boingboing.net/2013/03/15/national-post-wants-to-copyrig.html#comment-1681207 GTA_John Sat, 16 Mar 2013 16:36:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=219035#comment-1681207 From wikipedia:  In 1986, Foot was the subject of one of the best-known newspaper headlines of all time. The Times ran an article about Foot, who had been put in charge of a nuclear disarmament committee. The headline stated "Foot Heads Arms Body." The important thing to note is that headlines and subheads are written by a different person other than the journalist(s).  As the story is written, it is given a "slug" or a tag to identify it but the actual writing of the headline is by a different person. The article is clearly subject to copyright.  So it seems that the argument really comes down to "after how many words does something become worthy of copyright?"  As a final thought, Hemmingway is reputed to have written a story in 6 words:  "For sale: baby shoes never worn."  Assuming, for the sake of argument, that he actually did write that ... those six words would certainly have been covered by copyright in various jurisdictions.  While I may not like the position taken by the National Post (and, for the record, I don't and I am a subscriber), it seems they may have a valid argument. From wikipedia:  In 1986, Foot was the subject of one of the best-known newspaper headlines of all time. The Times ran an article about Foot, who had been put in charge of a nuclear disarmament committee. The headline stated “Foot Heads Arms Body.”

The important thing to note is that headlines and subheads are written by a different person other than the journalist(s).  As the story is written, it is given a “slug” or a tag to identify it but the actual writing of the headline is by a different person.

The article is clearly subject to copyright.  So it seems that the argument really comes down to “after how many words does something become worthy of copyright?” 

As a final thought, Hemmingway is reputed to have written a story in 6 words:  “For sale: baby shoes never worn.”  Assuming, for the sake of argument, that he actually did write that … those six words would certainly have been covered by copyright in various jurisdictions. 

While I may not like the position taken by the National Post (and, for the record, I don’t and I am a subscriber), it seems they may have a valid argument.

]]> By: Funk Daddy http://boingboing.net/2013/03/15/national-post-wants-to-copyrig.html#comment-1681144 Funk Daddy Sat, 16 Mar 2013 13:27:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=219035#comment-1681144 Too small. Canada, Murica's fascinator! Too small.

Canada, Murica’s fascinator!

]]> By: Labbit http://boingboing.net/2013/03/15/national-post-wants-to-copyrig.html#comment-1681121 Labbit Sat, 16 Mar 2013 12:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=219035#comment-1681121  Exhibit A  Exhibit A

]]> By: Marko Serafinowicz http://boingboing.net/2013/03/15/national-post-wants-to-copyrig.html#comment-1680899 Marko Serafinowicz Sat, 16 Mar 2013 02:40:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=219035#comment-1680899 Huh? What? I know this about some idiocy by the National Post, but WTF is "Murica's hat"? Huh? What? I know this about some idiocy by the National Post, but WTF is “Murica’s hat”?

]]> By: James Agenbroad http://boingboing.net/2013/03/15/national-post-wants-to-copyrig.html#comment-1680836 James Agenbroad Sat, 16 Mar 2013 00:53:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=219035#comment-1680836 He means Canada. He means Canada.

]]> By: Marko Serafinowicz http://boingboing.net/2013/03/15/national-post-wants-to-copyrig.html#comment-1680797 Marko Serafinowicz Sat, 16 Mar 2013 00:19:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=219035#comment-1680797 Huh? Huh?

]]> By: TheOven http://boingboing.net/2013/03/15/national-post-wants-to-copyrig.html#comment-1680672 TheOven Fri, 15 Mar 2013 22:31:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=219035#comment-1680672 That's probably how this should be dealt with if it happens. Dig deep into NP's past headlines and sue them for every one that matches some other newspaper's headlines. That’s probably how this should be dealt with if it happens. Dig deep into NP’s past headlines and sue them for every one that matches some other newspaper’s headlines.

]]> By: cybele http://boingboing.net/2013/03/15/national-post-wants-to-copyrig.html#comment-1680557 cybele Fri, 15 Mar 2013 21:02:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=219035#comment-1680557 I feel like I should start putting up a couple million blog posts that are just titles right now so I can copyright troll the hell out of that later. I feel like I should start putting up a couple million blog posts that are just titles right now so I can copyright troll the hell out of that later.

]]> By: Cameron Postelwait http://boingboing.net/2013/03/15/national-post-wants-to-copyrig.html#comment-1680469 Cameron Postelwait Fri, 15 Mar 2013 20:13:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=219035#comment-1680469 would this only be enforced in 'Murica's hat? would this only be enforced in ‘Murica’s hat?

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