Today I got an email with a link, to what is an awfull rip off by a fake Hong Kong publisher. It is also interesting at the same time, on how illustration & image copyrights are continously being violated. There is one thing to like the internet to be free, but to steal images from websites and unlawfully publish them, to make money, but not pay any of the illustrators a single amount. And not even asking them, or notifying them. Not even having contact with them. Just plainly take the images from their respective website and publish in a book. A book that later have been sold on various bookstores online. I mean how bad can it be. Its nothing new, but nevertheless awfull. The people doing this is evidently a sort of criminals who cant care less. I even wrote about this on my own blog.
Here is the link to the blog written by one of the illustrators affected by this. And the updates is also interesting reading on how it all progress.Link is: apefluff.com/colorful-illustrations-93c-please-do-not-buy-this-book/
It is amazing what people do these days.
Fluid - Richard Reilly http://www.unleash.com/fluid/
Isnt it. Absolutly amazing.
I have discovered the last case of pirated copy yesterday: on the cover of a Pizza-Flyer in my mailbox. Actually, banally. But what do those people think? Something like that is a minor offense?! I react allergically on something like that!
I´m allergic to it as well.
It reminds me of how tricky it is to get the copyright philosphy out there. I had a client, Editor in Chief for a magazine who thought Copyright was overated.
I am very sorry to hear this... and don't even get me started on Software piracy!
Gérard
Using CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 (SP2) & Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4 (SP1)on Windows 7 Enterprise / Intel Core2 Duo, 4 Gb RAM, nVidia Quadro NVS140M graphics
Stefan Lindblad:I had a client, Editor in Chief for a magazine who thought Copyright was overated.
Unbelievable. For those people I have a good advice: they should take a look at the site www.no-spec.com.
@ Gerard: Software develloping is a hard work, it is more mentally than creative work. IMO the criminals are much ballsier in stealing works of visual and acoustical content. The financial damage is higher for software devellopers, but for artists it's more difficult to estimate the real damage, cause it is more than time he invests in his works...
Stefan Lindblad:Copyright was overated.
Richard, do you know what the editor in chief guy said, When I sad something similar? His respons was: " I have a lot of my own freelance articles bouncing around in the world, and I dont care if someone publish them unlawfully", well kind of.The guy is of course right to have his opinion, but I guess you understand that him and I didnt get a long so much workwise It kind of felt like it was his way of negotiating with me. Being a bully, sitting with his dark shades on, while saying it. A sad one.Oh, and of course, in "his" magazine all copyright and legal text about how their stuff, was "their", was as useal in the the magazine "info". His boss/owners of course and evidently had a different opinion, but he is the guy who you have to work towards.
Hi Stefan and all
Very sad.
Not only the creatives/illustrations but even the advertising copy is stolen and used with some minor changes in it. My wife is a language copy writer & we have experienced such thefts in early days in this business. We have no choice than to submit a proof for copy approvals.
Another incidence I remember, when I bought my first copy of Corel 3 and an OS (Long back in early 90's). I was adviced by some, to invest the money in getting more machines and expand my business than to go for a SW. What a mentality these people have.
IMO one should think about bread & butter of one's who is helping to earn for you.
Let me tell you the GREAT Marketing strategy that I have ever seen. One of the accounting software was pirated by the developer company themselves. Just to make people addicted to the free software. Once the user is addicted, chances of shifting from one to another is difficult. Then offer the latest version at a higher price.
Any ways. Not every one is in a position to fight. The only alternative I found is the kind of one suggested on no-specs.com.
Anand