Which is unfortunately why print newspapers are going out of business left and right. You want the short story? I'm working as a GIS hack because I was kicked out of my school journalism program for writing an article about racism in the Greek system, left my first reporting job because my editor caved to an angry advertiser and allowed a retraction to be published that outright called me an incompetent reporter (incidentally, what he was referring to was my publication of a list of low-performing programs in a story about a series of budget cuts that specifically called for elimination of low-performing programs. Six months later, the programs were cut.) and the job I was offered after that vanished six months after I took it, because the investors in the newspaper decided they'd rather have a tax break than the small profits we made. There's no market for true and honest journalism in the world, and now I tell people which property is theirs so that they can sue their neighbors. At least/. is reflexive - it's only as good as what "we" put into it. For now.
God forbid the news services of/. be held to any kind of standards. Sorry, but I was a reporter for several years and you guys could use someone with a little editorial background on your staff. Not that I know anything about any of you guys, but you let a whole lot of bias slide through these so-called news stories. (Hint: A news article with bias is called an opinion article, and has a dedicated location on most reputable journalistic publications quite separate from the "news" topics.) The "company standards" of Dice seem quite worse, though, so I'm on the "leave/. alone" bandwagon. Too bad Vice didn't buy it, I'm quite fond of Motherboard.
Let me ignore your sarcasm and vitriol, and put this in a way you might relate to: you take pictures, right? Let's say you, instead of spamming flickr and instagram, built your own web site, filled with your pictures. Let's say you call it Z-Photography. You work on it for five years and get a pretty decent following of people who enjoy your work and buy your prints, of, let's say, buildings and cityscapes, so you trademark the name "Z-Photography" for your works - maybe you even put out a few coffee table books, as a series. Suddenly, eight years after you start your web site, and three years after you have a confirmed trademark on Z-Photography, a large corporate entity which sells stock photography comes out with a line of stock photos of cities for publication (which is, BTW, how you make money freelancing as a photographer when you're not doing weddings and senior portaits, as I'm sure you know) as well as a couple coffee table books, and calls the whole thing "Z-Photography" - the photographs aren't the exact same, but they're of buildings and cityscapes (just like your photographs!) - and they even use one of your sub-gallery names as their personal web address! Suddenly, when people search ThePlaceWherePeopleBuyPrints (let's say Etsy, even, hmm?) for Z-Photography, it's not YOUR stuff, but some other person's! When they search for your coffee table books on Amazon, it's not your books, which have been out for years, but this brand new stuff.
The issue here is that he must defend his trademark to maintain it, and that this woman and HarperCollins are stealing a brand he's been building for years. It could just as easily happen to you, or me, or anyone else who creates anything.
Seriously, google "Carnival of Souls series" the first two things to come up are Melissa Marr's book, and she herself notes "HarperCollins' Facebook page for the Carnival of Souls series" RTFA.
Say that to my face! Seriously, it's not like "oh, I'm going to sue you because I spilled some hot coffee on myself"... it's like "oh hey, you stole the name of my series for your series, oh, and it's about the same thing too"... Why don't you go create something, and then have someone rip it off?
I do some freelance work in addition to my 8-5, and I will not consider forming a corporation or LLC any time soon. When I was contracting as a campaign employee, I considered doing so for tax reasons - however, it's easier to just file an "extra income" form (I had a W-4 on the campaign) and make sure you track your purchases. Between buying new software, a new computer, and other business-related expenses (and a little extra withholding from my real job) I don't pay much more in taxes than I normally would - itemizing expenses, of course - although I don't get anything back from the government at the end of the year (I did when I was not doing side projects). It makes for a more annoying tax filing, but nothing a reasonably intelligent person can't handle alone. I only make (at most) 33% of my "regular" income doing freelance (so let's say I make $30,000 a year, and take three freelance jobs for $3000 each per year) and it is neither a "considerable" amount of money compared to what I make nor is what I do something that I could potentially be sued over. Also, I don't own a house, car, etc. so I have nothing worth taking.
If you'll be making a lot of money or doing something that could get you sued, get an attorney and an accountant.
I am not reading the wrong documents. He notes in the current lawsuit that both are "Carnival themed with elements of love and violence" and mentions something re: horror, I believe. But yes, that's EXACTLY what this is about. It would be like me making a website, slash-dot.com, and using the "name recognition" of THIS web site to promote my own web site and make many many dollars. The tone of the original article (yeah, I'm talking to YOU, Nate and Soulskill) is GROSSLY biased and has set the stage for the disgusting vilification of Wild in these comments. Some of us have legitimate reporting experience (the journalistic kind, NOT the programming kind) and are able to recognize when someone is trying to manipulate us into feeling a certain way about an event.
How TF is this downmodded? It's relevant to the discussion, and contains legitimate references. Even if the AC is NOT Wild... Seriously, you would think people who understand creation would be defending this man. How would you feel if I took something you had spent years creating, something you poured your life and energy into, and made something similar and then stole all the "thunder" without having done any of the work involved? This is NOT some patent trolling company. This is one man, and his life's work. You should all be ashamed.
Oh, AC, how I adore you and your sarcasm. I looked it up before posting the above comment (how else would I have just checked it?) and there were more than three results from Wild's series, Marr's book didn't show up, and depending on your browsing/purchase history I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) Amazon gives you customized results, so yours and mine are probably not the same.
Movie and various types of music are NOT covered under the TM he has (16) - which covers written/printed material. I'm sure he can't sue over the Buffy book because of the preface of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in the title. I don't think anyone here understands what, precisely, goes into writing a novel, or a series of novels. One of his major issues is that the themes of the new book are the same as the themes he uses, and so is the target audience.
The next book in the series will also be "Carnival" themed. Their web site name also uses one of his trademarks. It looks like HC is taking a top result on book searches (Amazon, I did just check this) and putting out a new series with the same title.
RTFA - or lawsuit. The new novel has been recognized as a "new series of novels" of which the subject matter and audience is the same as Wild's graphic novels. HC registered a web site under the name "Enter the Carnival" which happens to be yet another of Wild's "TM" names associated with a top-selling graphic novel. Graphic novels and novels fall under the same category when registering trademarks, as opposed to say, a CD and a comic book would not.
Someone suggested that in the giant forum thread.
The thing is, the people who still play CoH are SUPER dedicated. I know people who spend hours a day doing world-related stuff, who run radio stations themed around and listened to in-game, people who RP... If they open-sourced it, the current player base would probably only need, say, three servers - two American, one European - and a few people dedicated to making sure that if something bugged, it got fixed.
I don't know anything about video game management or development though, so that's just my assumption. It could be that it's an unmanageable task by anyone but industry professionals.
But IMHO, it's been running this long (albeit, I hear, with duct tape and bubblegum) - it couldn't take too much effort to keep the servers lit up.
Only four months after Matt Miller promised "a ton of plans for content beyond Issue 24 and 25. We have a pencil sketch of the stories, arcs, zones, and trials for the next few years (I say pencil, because we still want to be agile and work to bring you things you actively ask for, things even you don't know you want yet!)" and less than two weeks after the release of a new power set.
As much as I enjoy GW2, I am FURIOUS with NCSoft for pulling the plug on an eight year old game. The LEAST they could do is keep the servers up, or sell it to someone who will do so.
Um, hello? Matt Gemmel, states specifically on his profiles EVERYWHERE that he is a "iPhone / iPad / Mac OS X Software Consultant and Contractor" WHICH MEANS OBVIOUSLY HE SUPPORTS CLOSED SOURCE SOFTWARE. APPLE FANBOY.
DUH.
They say video games and tv desensitize you to violence and sex?
I've been so inundated with advertising that I don't even care anymore. I literally do not pay attention to anything that scrolls, flashes, or pops up. My attention can no longer be grabbed. If I want your ads (read: Newegg and Buddies Pro Shop) I'll sign up for an email newsletter. Otherwise, you can forget any ad making an impression on me.
I agree with all of the above except... the biggest selling point for me was the free-to-play.
I was/am in the Secret World's closed beta (NDA was just lifted this week:D) and had waited for the game for months, practically peed on myself when I got into CB, and really enjoy the game. But I only JUST this week actually ordered the game, while I ordered GW2 before playing it at all (played the last beta weekend, found it more than a little enjoyable) - and it was because I'm happy to pay $60 to get a game that I might play for 10 hours (I suspect GW2 will surpass Civ by the end of the year in hours played, and I've got a little over 300 into that) but I'm less likely to BUY a game and also pay another $15 a month for access (as with TSW) even if it's a game I KNOW I enjoy and have waited for. Maybe that's a little silly, but the monthly fee (which, granted, is only equivalent to an hour in my paycheck) is still a sticking point, less because of the payment and more because it's yet another thing to worry/think/check my bank account over.
"What is sad is that the prices for those "non-sequencing associated functions" have become prohibitive. It's because the decreased price is for crappy sequence. Little bitty pieces that don't tell you anything.
Grrrrr....."
The government doesn't like demonstrations. I was at the '08 DNC, inside the 'Freedom Cage' - they're just catching up with the tech trends. The question is, what definition will they hold for "disruption" and "public" - icydrta - "the filing contends that that "balance" must "resonate" in any wireless communications shutdown policy. The Commission should understand that certain situations could present a "credible threat," says the group, and thus, "Interrupting wireless service, when balanced against the disruption to the public, may be a reasoned alternative to consider." "
Slashdot Mirror
Which is unfortunately why print newspapers are going out of business left and right. You want the short story? I'm working as a GIS hack because I was kicked out of my school journalism program for writing an article about racism in the Greek system, left my first reporting job because my editor caved to an angry advertiser and allowed a retraction to be published that outright called me an incompetent reporter (incidentally, what he was referring to was my publication of a list of low-performing programs in a story about a series of budget cuts that specifically called for elimination of low-performing programs. Six months later, the programs were cut.) and the job I was offered after that vanished six months after I took it, because the investors in the newspaper decided they'd rather have a tax break than the small profits we made. There's no market for true and honest journalism in the world, and now I tell people which property is theirs so that they can sue their neighbors. At least /. is reflexive - it's only as good as what "we" put into it. For now.
God forbid the news services of /. be held to any kind of standards. Sorry, but I was a reporter for several years and you guys could use someone with a little editorial background on your staff. Not that I know anything about any of you guys, but you let a whole lot of bias slide through these so-called news stories. (Hint: A news article with bias is called an opinion article, and has a dedicated location on most reputable journalistic publications quite separate from the "news" topics.) The "company standards" of Dice seem quite worse, though, so I'm on the "leave /. alone" bandwagon. Too bad Vice didn't buy it, I'm quite fond of Motherboard.
The issue here is that he must defend his trademark to maintain it, and that this woman and HarperCollins are stealing a brand he's been building for years. It could just as easily happen to you, or me, or anyone else who creates anything.
Seriously, google "Carnival of Souls series" the first two things to come up are Melissa Marr's book, and she herself notes "HarperCollins' Facebook page for the Carnival of Souls series" RTFA.
Say that to my face! Seriously, it's not like "oh, I'm going to sue you because I spilled some hot coffee on myself"... it's like "oh hey, you stole the name of my series for your series, oh, and it's about the same thing too" ... Why don't you go create something, and then have someone rip it off?
If you'll be making a lot of money or doing something that could get you sued, get an attorney and an accountant.
I am not reading the wrong documents. He notes in the current lawsuit that both are "Carnival themed with elements of love and violence" and mentions something re: horror, I believe. But yes, that's EXACTLY what this is about. It would be like me making a website, slash-dot.com, and using the "name recognition" of THIS web site to promote my own web site and make many many dollars. The tone of the original article (yeah, I'm talking to YOU, Nate and Soulskill) is GROSSLY biased and has set the stage for the disgusting vilification of Wild in these comments. Some of us have legitimate reporting experience (the journalistic kind, NOT the programming kind) and are able to recognize when someone is trying to manipulate us into feeling a certain way about an event.
You can, however, trademark a series title, which is what Wild did, and what he is defending.
How TF is this downmodded? It's relevant to the discussion, and contains legitimate references. Even if the AC is NOT Wild... Seriously, you would think people who understand creation would be defending this man. How would you feel if I took something you had spent years creating, something you poured your life and energy into, and made something similar and then stole all the "thunder" without having done any of the work involved? This is NOT some patent trolling company. This is one man, and his life's work. You should all be ashamed.
Oh, AC, how I adore you and your sarcasm. I looked it up before posting the above comment (how else would I have just checked it?) and there were more than three results from Wild's series, Marr's book didn't show up, and depending on your browsing/purchase history I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) Amazon gives you customized results, so yours and mine are probably not the same.
Yes, he is. Read the filing, please. I'm not AC and I agree with (on the same terms, having read the filing) the original poster (AC).
But see, it is the case. Very same title. Similar plot, from what I got... from reading.. the law suit documents...
Movie and various types of music are NOT covered under the TM he has (16) - which covers written/printed material. I'm sure he can't sue over the Buffy book because of the preface of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in the title. I don't think anyone here understands what, precisely, goes into writing a novel, or a series of novels. One of his major issues is that the themes of the new book are the same as the themes he uses, and so is the target audience.
The next book in the series will also be "Carnival" themed. Their web site name also uses one of his trademarks. It looks like HC is taking a top result on book searches (Amazon, I did just check this) and putting out a new series with the same title.
RTFA - or lawsuit. The new novel has been recognized as a "new series of novels" of which the subject matter and audience is the same as Wild's graphic novels. HC registered a web site under the name "Enter the Carnival" which happens to be yet another of Wild's "TM" names associated with a top-selling graphic novel. Graphic novels and novels fall under the same category when registering trademarks, as opposed to say, a CD and a comic book would not.
Dear Mr. Romney: TL;DR. Thanks, Samazon
Someone suggested that in the giant forum thread. The thing is, the people who still play CoH are SUPER dedicated. I know people who spend hours a day doing world-related stuff, who run radio stations themed around and listened to in-game, people who RP... If they open-sourced it, the current player base would probably only need, say, three servers - two American, one European - and a few people dedicated to making sure that if something bugged, it got fixed. I don't know anything about video game management or development though, so that's just my assumption. It could be that it's an unmanageable task by anyone but industry professionals. But IMHO, it's been running this long (albeit, I hear, with duct tape and bubblegum) - it couldn't take too much effort to keep the servers lit up.
Only four months after Matt Miller promised "a ton of plans for content beyond Issue 24 and 25. We have a pencil sketch of the stories, arcs, zones, and trials for the next few years (I say pencil, because we still want to be agile and work to bring you things you actively ask for, things even you don't know you want yet!)" and less than two weeks after the release of a new power set. As much as I enjoy GW2, I am FURIOUS with NCSoft for pulling the plug on an eight year old game. The LEAST they could do is keep the servers up, or sell it to someone who will do so.
Um, hello? Matt Gemmel, states specifically on his profiles EVERYWHERE that he is a "iPhone / iPad / Mac OS X Software Consultant and Contractor" WHICH MEANS OBVIOUSLY HE SUPPORTS CLOSED SOURCE SOFTWARE. APPLE FANBOY. DUH.
They say video games and tv desensitize you to violence and sex? I've been so inundated with advertising that I don't even care anymore. I literally do not pay attention to anything that scrolls, flashes, or pops up. My attention can no longer be grabbed. If I want your ads (read: Newegg and Buddies Pro Shop) I'll sign up for an email newsletter. Otherwise, you can forget any ad making an impression on me.
I was/am in the Secret World's closed beta (NDA was just lifted this week :D) and had waited for the game for months, practically peed on myself when I got into CB, and really enjoy the game. But I only JUST this week actually ordered the game, while I ordered GW2 before playing it at all (played the last beta weekend, found it more than a little enjoyable) - and it was because I'm happy to pay $60 to get a game that I might play for 10 hours (I suspect GW2 will surpass Civ by the end of the year in hours played, and I've got a little over 300 into that) but I'm less likely to BUY a game and also pay another $15 a month for access (as with TSW) even if it's a game I KNOW I enjoy and have waited for. Maybe that's a little silly, but the monthly fee (which, granted, is only equivalent to an hour in my paycheck) is still a sticking point, less because of the payment and more because it's yet another thing to worry/think/check my bank account over.
LOL the irony here is that the crafting (and cooking) is my favorite part of gw2 so far.
Unlike WoW, when this game sucks my boyfriend in, I'll actually be there playing with him. :D
"What is sad is that the prices for those "non-sequencing associated functions" have become prohibitive. It's because the decreased price is for crappy sequence. Little bitty pieces that don't tell you anything. Grrrrr....."
The government doesn't like demonstrations. I was at the '08 DNC, inside the 'Freedom Cage' - they're just catching up with the tech trends. The question is, what definition will they hold for "disruption" and "public" - icydrta - "the filing contends that that "balance" must "resonate" in any wireless communications shutdown policy. The Commission should understand that certain situations could present a "credible threat," says the group, and thus, "Interrupting wireless service, when balanced against the disruption to the public, may be a reasoned alternative to consider." "