Legality of redistributing old Amiga mags and cover disks

[LoadWB]

I have had the fortune of coming across a number of Amiga magazines in great condition, including some .info, Commodore Magazine, Amazing Amiga, Amiga World, Amiga Resource, and Ahoy's Amiga User.  Also a couple of AW and AA technical resources.  (And premier issue of AW!)

I have asked IDG about Amiga World, and have yet to hear a response.  I am of course curious about the rest of them.  There are a number of articles which are still relevant, as well as ads which may point to existence of missing or forgotten hardware and software, product reviews, release announcements, etc.

One article in particular comes from Amiga World, December 1987, discussing BBS's the same way people discuss the Internet, about perverts and terrorists, etc.  Several others discuss copyright law and fair use in contexts of media production and programming.

Is there a current project to scan such items to which I might loan them?  Would this be a worthwhile project, given the blessings of original publishers (if still around?)

[motorollin]

The topic subject asks about the legality of doing this. Clearly, you would need permission from the publisher of the magazine first. With regards to the coverdis[k|c] software, you would need to check the readme which comes with it. If there is nothing to imply that you can freely redistribute the software, then you should contact the author before making the software available to others.

In your post you asked about existing projects. I have read a few posts here about people considering starting up such a project. What I don't know is whether they carried it out, or whether they even had permission to do it.

I wouldn't think for one minute a publisher like Future would mind having their old mags reproduced. I for one have a box full of old copies of CU and AF. I would be willing to scan them to assist such a project, but not before permission has been granted from the publisher.

--
moto

[Trev]

This thread will probably be locked, but in the meantime. . . .

I'm sure there's interest, but unless noted otherwise, the works are almost certainly copyrighted--for at least 70 more years (unless the author is already deceased) but most likely somewhere around 75 years (in this case, 95 years after the date of publication)--so be sure to secure permission in writing from the current copyright holder. However, if you read something of interest, feel free to write a directed response, review, or criticism, and quote the original work liberally.

Trev

[motorollin]

Why would the thready be locked? He was asking about the legality of it... And copyright isn't really a problem as long as you get written permission from the publisher. You don't have to wait for the copyright to expire if you have permission to redistribute!

--
moto

[recidivist]

 There are lots of good books and magazines on almost every subject and yet the originals are rarely found so those who sell used books didlike new ,free, reprints.
 If the publisher still exists they will probably want a fee unless they realize the wide interest is only a thousand people who likely wouldn't buy a reprint anyway.
 This points out why the old copyright period made sense and the revised law is ridiculous.Kind of like the old law that said a man's home was his castle and the British Crown disarming all subjects and arresting those who fight back against burglars!
 
 I wonder how many of the publications sold on ebay might have been scanned before sales?
 
  I remember one Amiga magazine "going out in dtyle" and saying they did not want their work to linger on in poor paper or a sad website with old info. Charles Schultz supposedly wanted all things Charlie Brown to not be displayed or sold after his passing.The heirs felt differently.
 
 I have been thinking of scanning my magazine collection as they got damp and some very musty.
  Not sure if scanning outside will be workable but hate to lose info to mold.O health either.

[leirbag28]

There are afew Amiga sites that already have Many magazines scanned.

I think this is just preserving them.NOT reproducing them.

[TjLaZer]

There is a site that has all the ANTIC and STart  mags for Atari computers, we should have the same thing avail for all the users who either have the mags but no disks or if your disk went bad.  Good idea but again for those who live the letter of the law it would be illegal. lol

http://www.atarimagazines.com/software/startsoftware.html

http://www.atarimagazines.com/

Atari Wares links? LOL  No.

[recidivist]

Thanks,
 I also have  Ataris up to 1040ST.

 I got scammed uin persoin when a flea marketer sold me a large box of ST software packages which I neglected to check all the boxes.MOST of the disks were gone!Seller told me later,no refund ,he sold the disks seperately to someone earlier in the day!

 CAVEAT EMPTOR!

[beller]

Having been an author for Amazing, AmigaWorld, and Compute! Amiga, among other Amiga magazines, I don't think I have ANY rights to articles I've written.  The copyright, if there still is one, is held by the companies in question.  In fact, I've found some old Compute! reviews are already on the web.  I have no conrol over the republishing of my works since most all of these companies had a contract which pulled those rights.  That, and given the age of the articles, leads me to wonder why anyone would really care why these end up in an archive on the web.  

Heck, I don't even have copies of most of the stuff I've written about the Amiga....although I keep finding my GENIE article on the 1992 Amiga show in Pasadena on 3 or 4 websites!

Bob

[LoadWB]

This is the reply from IDG:

Dear Alan -
The Amiga world Magazines are no longer a print title and there are no current plans to revive it.  However, I have passed your inquiry along to the original publisher and if they are interested, they will be in touch with you.

Thanks,
Teresina

No longer a print title?  DUH!  :roll:

Anyway, I'll see how far this gets.  Should I get (at least) IDG's permission, is anyone interesting in either helping out or contributing missing issues?