Mailinglist privacy: MY NAME ALL OVER GOOGLE!

[Anthony Atkielski]

Paul Schmehl writes:

> Here's a webpage that makes your arguments laughable:
> <http://www.umuc.edu/distance/odell/cip/listserv.html>
>
> It's a mailing list to discuss digital copyright.  Its archives are 
> searchable, and there's no requirement to agree to that when you subscribe.

What's so funny about it?

> This one is even funnier:
> <http://www.copyright.gov/newsnet/>
>
> Searchable archives going back to 1997.

See above.

> You *still* haven't provided *one* link to prove anything you've said.

Copyright law isn't good enough?

> On the Internet, that's tantamount to an admission that you're
> blowing smoke.

No, it's not.  I see people posting links all the time (hmm), and
posting links typically doesn't prove anything.  You can find a link to
"prove" just about anything you want on the Internet.

> I doubt seriously your *extremely* strict interpretation of copyright would
> hold up in any court of law in the US or anywhere else for that matter.

Your doubts are not important.  It's what actually happens in court
that's important.

> I have no doubt that you could find a judge somewhere to rule
> in your favor.

I don't know.

> After all, judges make incredibly stupid rulings daily.

Maybe you should advise them, so that they can benefit from your wisdom,
and your collection of Web links.

> But in the end, your argument would fall on deaf ears when saner minds
> were engaged.

I'm not so sure.  I think it better to be safe than sorry.

> When you post to a public list, your post are not copyrighted material.
> They exist in the public domain.

False.  Anything you write is copyrighted as soon as you record it.  It
never enters the public domain unless you release it explicitly to the
public domain or the copyright expires (70 years after your death).

-- 
Anthony