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AP Will Sell You a "License" To Words It Doesn't Own
James Grimmelmann performed an experiment using the AP's form to request a license to use more than four consecutive words from one of their articles. Except that he didn't paste in words from the (randomly chosen) article, but instead used 26 words written by Thomas Jefferson 196 years ago: If nature has made any one thing less susceptible than all others of exclusive property, it is the action of the thinking power called an idea. The AP cheerfully charged him $12 to use Jefferson's 26 words. Both Boing Boing and TechDirt have picked up the story so far. Grimmelmann adds an update to his blog: the AP has rescinded his license to Jefferson's words and issued a refund for his $12. They did not exhibit the grace to admit that their software is brain-dead.
And so we see yet another terminally-ill industry smothering itself with a pillow.
If the going rate is $.46 per word, I'm in the wrong line.
Maybe they just think that no one has used those words in that particular order before.
My ism, it's full of beliefs.
I'm writing a computer program that will figure out every word combination that can possibly be used to form a sentence, and then copyrighting the output. When someone writes something somewhere, I'll sue them for copyright infringement.
Don't even think about stealing this idea. I have it patent pending on it!
One of our competitors trademarked the term "hypothesis". From now on, we will call them "boneheaded ideas".
At least using "free as in beer" stays free as in beer.
My webcomic
It's idiotic, but there is in fact a market for nothing: if you are correctly positioned as a trusted supplier
Finally! An explanation for the RIAA/MPAA and other association's sense of entitlement that we can all understand!
These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
if you are correctly positioned as a trusted supplier, there are cases when you can get paid for delivering no product at all, but merely for carrying out the ritual of delivering a product, with all the paperwork thereunto appertaining.
there's no need to bring religion into this
how many pairs of boxer shorts should you own?
"paperwork thereunto appertaining"
That's now the new name of my acid rock band.
Thanks!
I've known folks whose workplaces used to pay Sun a license fee for Perl ... the same Perl you could download for free (as in beer); and yes, the same Perl that is one of the usual examples of successful free (as in speech) software.
No, they didn't get tech support. They didn't get to file bugs against Perl that would be resolved by a Sun engineer. They didn't even get a custom build of Perl optimized for their Sun hardware. They didn't even get a CD. What they got was an invoice ... precisely what their company's IT procurement process required...
Yeah, I noticed SQLite allows for the option of purchasing a license, even though it is public domain, for that exact reason - when someone who doesn't get it above you makes you buy a license. Then they charge $1000. Heh.
Which makes me wonder... if it is in the public domain, couldn't anyone sell a license for it? And if that's the case, couldn't *I* sell a license for it, for cheaper? I could sell SQLite licenses for a mere $500!
Anyone know about that?
-Taylor
Worldwide Military budgets: $2100 billion. Worldwide Space Exploration budgets: $38 billion. Really, world? Really?
what if you buy a quotation that is itself quoting another AP article? Do you have to pay twice? What if the article is quoting itself? An infinite loop of profitability! Finally online content has a sustainable business model.
how many pairs of boxer shorts should you own?
Yes, taking the piles of money that people leave on my doorstep is taking advantage.
The guy is knowingly paying the AP for something free. They're not taking advantage of him. And even if someone was legitimately stupid enough to pay the AP for Thomas Jefferson's material, it's not their fault. Should I erect a fence around my doorstep so people don't leave piles of money?
I still don't get it.
Can I please be provided yet another analogy? I'm too stupid to read the article and understand the meaning of the words contained therein.
Maybe something involving cars. Thanks.
You can't legislate goodness. Let each to his own destiny, by will of his freely made choices.
This whole mess could be fixed by simply... [please deposit 25 cents]
W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
Is it 5 words in a row or do I get charged for any 5 words I pull from the article? If so I would like to grab words "a, the, it, the, and" so I don't end up having to pay someone else even more.
You don't get it. No, you charge $5,000 because nobody in their right mind would buy the cheap and nasty version. Oh no, your version is CERTIFIED. (includes certificate on fancy paper)