Phil, on 2012-May-02, 10:46, said:
I see.
So if I am a bridge professional and use their notes to get clients and get paid for doing so, this isn't considered profitable? We don't know what the intent of the user is, much less of the chain of users downstream.
I wonder what Meckwell would think if I went to the trouble of compiling their notes from what I've read in the Bridge World and Vugraph and published them online.
I've seen Gitelmans articles. They were originally published by a Canadian Bridge Magazine, and I could be wrong, but I would guess he had their permission to publish his own ideas online.
I would be surprised if the CBF (Canadian Bridge Federation) felt that it ought to restrict Fred's ability to republish articles that he was kind enough to contribute to the CBF publication. After all, it's not as if he got paid to contribute (as far as I know, and knowing how small the budget has been and remains). It is possible that he expressly reserved copyright, but even if he didn't, Canadians are usually adverse to silly claims such as that Fred can't re-use his articles/ideas.
As for compiling methods based on public disclosure by Meckwell, or anyone else.....I see no reason why one can't. I don't think that ascribing a usage to a bidding sequence is intellectual property...see the other phil's extract from US law...Canadian law is to similar effect, as far as I can recall.....I stress that I am not an IP expert.
Now, taking articles written by others and republishing them in one's one for-profit text would be a different story.
'one of the great markers of the advance of human kindness is the howls you will hear from the Men of God' Johann Hari