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Mighty_Emperor Divine Wind
Joined: 18 Aug 2002 Total posts: 19943 Location: Mongo Age: 42 Gender: Male |
 Posted: 06-12-2003 14:25 Post subject: Mr X's copyright clarification |
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OK here is the full clarification on Mr. X's updating of Fort's books:
| Quote: | I shall simplify as best as I can what is copyrighted with regards to Fort's works and my works related to his writings.
All of Fort's original texts, (his books, short stories, letters, notes,
etc.), are in the Public Domain. The New York Public Library may believe that it has some rights to Fort's notes, but it really doesn't have any such rights. Fort wrote a letter, in 1931, indicating that his notes were to be made freely available for other Forteans to use, after his death. Few libraries are aware of the copyright status of personal papers donated to their collections; thus, it is a good policy to obtain their permission to copy such materials, even if it does belong in the Public Domain.
Who owns "derivative" copyrights to Fort's works?
The several translations of Fort's books into French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Swedish are copyrighted, (most by their publishers). With the exception of the German translations, most translations were done using the Holt edition and contain all of its errors. The third edition of the Italian IL LIBRO DEI DANNATI, by Armenia, in Milan, was produced, after my
inquiries into purchase of their rights to this translation and my other offer to help produce a new translation, with corrections. Armenia declined both of my offers and reprinted their second edition, (a reprint of their first edition); but, at least, if a new edition was not produced, Fort is back in print in Italy, (and, not just a rarity in second-hand book shops).
Dover Publications only owns the copyright to Damon Knight's introduction to their edition of THE BOOKS OF CHARLES FORT. Prometheus Books owns the copyright to the book-cover of their edition of THE BOOK OF THE DAMNED. Neither of these two publishers owns any copyright to Fort's texts. In the
case of Dover, the texts were photographed onto new printing plates from the Holt edition; and, Prometheus made a new copy of the text from the Holt edition, (without the index, that it claimed to provide).
The "Fortean Times" editions published by John Brown Publishing have several different claims for copyrights. The introductions and indices are separately copyrighted. I had suggested that the original texts be reset with a standardized format, but my recommendation was apparently not acceptable. I was asked to provide a revised text, (which I had already been working upon
for some twenty years). My revised text corrected many typographical and factual errors in the text, transcribed the text into British spelling, and provided more appropriate titles, (and their abbreviations), to Fort's source references. With a few exceptions, I meddled with almost every page; and,
where some authors would rewrite the original text, I tried to make my corrections around Fort's writing. I don't think that anyone, including Fort, would have an objection to my correcting misspelled names, providing corrected quotes, and fixing errors in the source references. I own the copyrights to these revised texts insofar as they have been revised.
As few people had access to the original editions, I published my hypertext editions on the Internet. These editions contain the first edition texts, (which are in the Public Domain), indications for the original pagination, (so that a standard page number could be cited, rather than pages from numerous other editions), and my footnotes, (a work in progress toward an annotated edition and to which I claim copyright as their author). In the introductions to each book, I stated: "I am making this hypertext edition available with some of my notes... I hope that others may find this a helpful and ready copy for their own reference use. All of the footnotes are the editor's work...."
Neither of the two web-sites which have copied my files into their copies of THE BOOK OF THE DAMNED have acknowledged that my web-site was their source; both have copied my footnotes, (ignoring my copyright notices); and, one claimed copyright to his plagiarized version of my files. If either had only copied Fort's texts, I'd have no complaint; but, their websites infringe upon
my copyrights and fail to acknowledge their source for this material. And, in the case of copying my transcriptions of Fort's letters, no acknowledgment of my web-site as their source was given; and, while no copyright was infringed, this would still be a matter of plagiarism.
Quixote has done nothing wrong by providing a link to another web-site, but I'd recommend providing links to a web-site which provides the source material and can make corrections to typos and other errors.
Some have complained that I should publish the texts for each book, as a whole book, rather than the separate chapters. I plan to do this with an annotated edition, but I can more readily make corrections and update each chapter, rather than each book. The hypertext editions are available for everyone's reference. Chapters download more quickly than books, and browsers can find a search result in a specific chapter, rather than in a whole book. Also, until last year, I did not have access to a program for generating Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) files. Now, I do. And, if copies of his online works keep leading back to my web-site, maybe that is because I have done the actual work of making the copies from the books and have been doing the research!
Another set of derivative copyrights to Fort's works that I own are for screenplays adapted from his short stories. I have adapted "Fryhuysen's Colony," "A Floral Hold-Up," and "The Marooned Campers," into short screenplays, which together could become a feature-length "Fortean Trilogy." I have nearly completed a screenplay adaptation of THE OUTCAST MANUFACTURERS, which incorporates part of "How Sentiment Was Discouraged in Sim." Fort once had hoped to write scenarios for films, but I think that there's still some hope to see his work put into cinematic productions.
I hope that clarifies questions about Fort's works and copyrights. |
he also said:
| Quote: | About twenty years ago, by the constant pestering of certain officials, I managed to persuade the National Research Council of Canada to transfer the bulk of its old UFO files to the National Archives. Once this was done, I arranged for all of these files to be microfilmed, (something the NRC would not permit, when the files were in their possession). I asked many UFO organizations and individual researchers if they would like to contribute to the costs of this microfilming project, (which was largely being paid for out of my own pocket). Only Stanton Friedman and Gene Duplantier helped me with this effort. Amazingly, many major UFO organizations, (some with thousands of members), couldn't find a dime, or shilling, to spare. Fortean research sometimes just needs a few dedicated individuals to get something done; and, you cannot really count on organizations to help out, (even if that's what they are supposed to do). So, if you want to build up an on-line library of Fortean literature and resources, I've already got a web-site. What links would you want to contribute? Any ideas on how you think it should be
arranged? Just remember, I'm not very interested in commercializing my web-site, (advertising, T-shirts, mugs, etc.), soliciting funds for more organizing activities that accomplish little, and have a lot of other work that needs to get done, (not just talked-about and wished-for projects). |
So if anyone has any ideas for what he could add to his site:
www.resologist.net
let him know. My main thought was that all of his sources will be out of copyright (like Gould and Pyle) so the next thing to do would be to put them online and link them in from where they are mentioned.
I'd also like a search facility.
Emps |
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| Mighty_Emperor Divine Wind
Joined: 18 Aug 2002 Total posts: 19943 Location: Mongo Age: 42 Gender: Male |
| Posted: 07-12-2003 20:08 Post subject: |
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And, of course, its not just books and journal articles we are after.
On the image front there is a good big copy of Aert de Gelder's "The Baptism of Christ" here:
http://www-img.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/img/pdp/pdp2/633.jpg
Explanation in FT 25 page 18-19 (it is the cover art for that edition as well as the compilation "Diary of a Mad Planet".
Emps |
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| Justin_Anstey Mutant alien |
| Posted: 08-12-2003 00:06 Post subject: |
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The Skeptic's Annotated Bible.
http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/
| Quote: | | "Six days my work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death." -Ex.31:13-15 |
What did you get up to today? |
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| Mighty_Emperor Divine Wind
Joined: 18 Aug 2002 Total posts: 19943 Location: Mongo Age: 42 Gender: Male |
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| Mighty_Emperor Divine Wind
Joined: 18 Aug 2002 Total posts: 19943 Location: Mongo Age: 42 Gender: Male |
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| Mighty_Emperor Divine Wind
Joined: 18 Aug 2002 Total posts: 19943 Location: Mongo Age: 42 Gender: Male |
| Posted: 12-02-2004 15:30 Post subject: |
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Not sure if this has been mentioned - it has all the Classics:
www.thefreelibrary.com
Emps |
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| Mighty_Emperor Divine Wind
Joined: 18 Aug 2002 Total posts: 19943 Location: Mongo Age: 42 Gender: Male |
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| Mighty_Emperor Divine Wind
Joined: 18 Aug 2002 Total posts: 19943 Location: Mongo Age: 42 Gender: Male |
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| Justin_Anstey Mutant alien |
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| MaxMolyneux Photography Ninja Of The Night!
Great Old One Joined: 07 Jun 2005 Total posts: 1651 Location: Liverpool England United Kingdom Age: 27 Gender: Male |
| Posted: 25-09-2005 13:41 Post subject: Re: Online Resource for Oddities |
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| harlequin2005 wrote: | Posting elsewhere, I suddenly remembered one of the main influences of my teenage years in the 80s - Omni Magazine. It had a column called anti-matter which usually contained some pretty high Forteana. I lost touch with the magazine when it went over to the internet fully a few years ago. After a bit (a few minutes) of searching
http://www.omnimag.com/antimatter/index.html
Take a look. The High Strangeness links off here are pretty good too
Enjoy
8¬) |
Why does that site go to penthouse magazine?  |
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| Timble2 Imaginary person Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Total posts: 7114 Location: Practically in Narnia Age: 58 Gender: Female |
| Posted: 25-09-2005 13:56 Post subject: Re: Online Resource for Oddities |
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| MaxMolyneux wrote: |
Why does that site go to penthouse magazine? |
Omni was published by Kath Guccione, wife of Bob Guccione publisher of Penthouse. It went online online only in the mid-90s. They stopped updating the Omni site years ago. I guess Penthouse just took back the url as another online home for Penthouse thinking that soft porn is more popular than SF and speculative science. |
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| WhistlingJack Joined: 29 Oct 2003 Total posts: 4298 Location: The Sewers of The Strand Age: 9 Gender: Unknown |
| Posted: 25-09-2005 14:12 Post subject: Re: Mr X's copyright clarification |
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| Mighty_Emperor wrote: | | My main thought was that all of his sources will be out of copyright (like Gould and Pyle) so the next thing to do would be to put them online and link them in from where they are mentioned. |
'Anomalies And Curiosities Of Medicine' - Gould, George M.
PS: I think I've mis-read the intent behind Emps' post, so mine is probably redundant...
Last edited by WhistlingJack on 25-09-2005 14:47; edited 1 time in total |
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| MaxMolyneux Photography Ninja Of The Night!
Great Old One Joined: 07 Jun 2005 Total posts: 1651 Location: Liverpool England United Kingdom Age: 27 Gender: Male |
| Posted: 25-09-2005 14:40 Post subject: Re: Online Resource for Oddities |
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| Timble2 wrote: | | MaxMolyneux wrote: |
Why does that site go to penthouse magazine? |
Omni was published by Kath Guccione, wife of Bob Guccione publisher of Penthouse. It went online online only in the mid-90s. They stopped updating the Omni site years ago. I guess Penthouse just took back the url as another online home for Penthouse thinking that soft porn is more popular than SF and speculative science. |
Ah well, takes you to some classy pics anyway.  |
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| byroncac A Napoleonic Criminal
Great Old One Joined: 14 Apr 2003 Total posts: 314 Gender: Unknown |
| Posted: 01-07-2006 10:59 Post subject: |
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Not sure if this has been mentioned but. . .
The Great Sea-Serpent
By A. C. Oudeman
Originally published by Luzac & Co., London, in 1892. This comprehensive work includes discussion of over 160 sightings of sea-serpents. Hoaxes and misidentifications are also discussed, as are the characteristics and possible taxonomy of this mystery animal. Oudemans was one of the first individuals to suggest that the sea-serpent may be an unidentified mammal.
Available as a PDF at:
http://www.herper.com/ebooks/titles/Seaserpent.html |
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| OldTimeRadio Great Old One Joined: 15 Aug 2005 Total posts: 5539 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio USA Age: 72 Gender: Male |
| Posted: 01-02-2007 04:40 Post subject: |
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Isn't it time for a central, "one-stop-shop" online Fortean library holding Paranormal and related public-domain books and magazines?
I say this because at least 60 - 70 percent of the links provided on these pages, to seminal works in our field, are now entirely defunct. |
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