what would be the ethics issues...

[taranaki]

If I wanted to make a book based on the conversations in a forum?

Don't panic...it's not actually something I plan on doing in the near future! I am just curious as to the ethics,rather than the legal issues.

[NismoDrifts]

Im sure that nobody here would do anything legally if ya did. Just get us all to agree. As for legal issues, im not a lawyer, so i dunno....but i think coz its a public forum you'd just have to get permission from the guy upstairs that made this site, coz what we post becomes property of the site or somethin? like i said, i have no clue what im talking about, just takin a guess coz im bored

[JD@af]

I'd agree with NismoDrifts. Igor may have more information about whether the site owns any information posted here, but generally, get permission from the members, and I guess you'd be all set.. and consult an attorney as necessary to check for any loopholes (and, not sure if the site is governed by US laws, international laws, or exactly how that works - it might even de determined by the nationality of each respective member).

So, Mr. T, you thinking about writing a book about one of AF's forums???

[kris]

Originally posted by JD@af
I'd agree with NismoDrifts. Igor may have more information about whether the site owns any information posted here, but generally, get permission from the members, and I guess you'd be all set.. and consult an attorney as necessary to check for any loopholes (and, not sure if the site is governed by US laws, international laws, or exactly how that works - it might even de determined by the nationality of each respective member).

So, Mr. T, you thinking about writing a book about one of AF's forums???

The AF guidlines says this:

TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP
Upon the submittal of each post on Automotive Forums .com you give Automotive Forums .com and/or its partners the permission to reproduce any part of your post in any form, for any purpose, and at any time.

So Igor owns rights to everything posted here.

[taranaki]

Sorry guys,please read my post again...I have no plans to write a book(though the idea did cross my mind as an amusing diversion once),Iam more interested in the ethical,rather than the legal issues.As I type this, I am aware that once I hit the 'submit' button it ceases to be mine...Legally speaking it belongs to Igor.........but in terms of the ethics involved,should it?or do you see it,as I would like to, as community property?a thread is after all,a co-operative effort,and people can claim to authorship in part only.....

[Moppie]

hmmm, you've got me thinking about this.

Since we all agree to the terms, and I think most of us are aware this a public forum then we dont even think about cliaming ownership to our posts. Just like in normal conversation, we dont claim ownership to what we say.

Sure we like to be given credit where it is due, but we cant complian is some repeats what we say to someone else.

[TheMan5952]

I wouldn't mind if you reproduced my material. I don't think many would. I would get permission from Igor befor you actually reproduced anything, he owns the site and all.

[NismoDrifts]

yeah, we're all one big happy family here

[KatWoman]

Originally posted by taranaki
or do you see it,as I would like to, as community property?a thread is after all,a co-operative effort,and people can claim to authorship in part only.....

In the legal world, stuff like this is called "intellectual property". It's not really something physical or tangible. Unless of course you want to count the disc space on the server You can print it on paper, but unless you go to great lengths, you have no proof that I actually wrote this or that anything I state is/isn't fact. As of yet there are not alot of lawyers practicing in this field but it would not surprise me if you see this area of law becoming bigger in the next 10 years. Another thing too is, anyone who has admin priveleges can edit/delete content and that would change things and get into a whole different ballfield.