I am updating the ST Encyclopedia

[Steve Roby]

Mike does look in here, but I cannot say with what frequency.

Maybe he's a really open-minded guy, but I'd expect this to get a reaction:

.I first started this project about 5 years ago, though that included scanning the old encyclopedia, running it through OCR, and editing that

Because, you know, it might just possibly be construed as being flagrant copyright violation. Theft of intellectual property. Paramount probably holds the copyright on the Encyclopedia rather than Okuda, but it's still his work.

 

[Captain Robert April]

^ And that copyright includes the format of the Encyclopedia, which is why scanning the pages probably isn't the best idea. It's a big reason why we're essentially having to start from scratch with the new Concordance, to avoid any formatting issues with the pinheads who published the last version.

 

[SicOne]

^^ But you can't really read it on the can (MA)... and at the end of the day, isn't that what really matters?

You know you're reading a good book when you get so engrossed in it that your legs fall asleep and you stand up to wipe and then fall over into the tub, yanking the shower curtain off the rod in the process, and causing your wife to simultaneously laugh hysterically and holler at you for all the racket.

At least she didn't grab the camera this time.

 

[SicOne]

And it's nice to discuss a new Encyclopedia without being chastized by Margaret Clark for a change.

 

[Captain Robert April]

I suspect being chastised by Margaret Clark will be a breeze compared to the friendly, friendly folks from the Paramount legal department, should you step over one too many lines in the sand.

Tread carefully.

 

[Ronald Held]

Let us hope they ignore us, which they might if they see no money being made from it.

 

[Captain Robert April]

Two problems with that hope:

1) It's already been mentioned publicly that Mike Okuda is looking at updating the book, and...

2) This thread, with its very assertive title, maintaining a highly visible position on the first page, making it incredibly easy for some legal eagle working for Paraborg to spot it.

Tough to ignore a thread with a red flag for a title.

 

[SicOne]

Well, if this thread suddenly vanishes then we will know he got the cease-and-desist order...

 

[Ronald Held]

Locked before disappearing?

 

[Captain Robert April]

Should we start a countdown?

 

[F. King Daniel]

Nah - if Mike Okuda shows up, just act like this is a thread about cereal. He'll never suspect.


I, for one, like Rice Crispies.

 

[Ronald Held]

Mike is a bright guy, he could catch on.

 

[Captain Robert April]

Try donuts, that might throw him for a loop.

 

[SicOne]

^ no pun intended...

 

[Captain Robert April]

Of course not.

So, sprinkles, yes or no?

 

[Shatna]

I don't know "Mike" as well as you kids apparently do, but I doubt very much that Cronos is running any serious legal risk with his blog, any more than fan film creators are. It's your time to waste, I guess.

 

[Christopher]

I don't know "Mike" as well as you kids apparently do, but I doubt very much that Cronos is running any serious legal risk with his blog, any more than fan film creators are.

I'm not sure that's a good analogy. A fan film is using copyrighted characters and concepts but telling a new story around them. The prose equivalent of that would be an original story or article based on the Trek universe. It's different if you're taking the actual text of a specific published book and adding to it. That would be like, say, a fan film that took the footage from "City on the Edge of Forever" and digitally edited new fan actors and scenes into it "Trials and Tribble-ations"-style.

 

[Steve Roby]

That's my take on it. There are a lot of unlicenced nonfiction Trek books out there, after all, but none of them started out as something copied and pasted from a licenced book by another author.

 

[Captain Robert April]

^ What those two guys said.

 

[Shatna]

There's a difference between created prose and fiction surrounding a TV show and the culling of information about said TV show. But the thing is, not one of you has any firsthand knowledge about what Okuda or Paramount might or might not do, you're just indulging in nerdy nitpicking kneejerk message board blather for its own sake (nice to know things haven't changed much around here).

Your combined massive legal knowledge aside, the fact is that Cronos put a lot of work into this project, and if he ends up getting in trouble with it that's his problem, not yours. In the meantime, you're adding nothing to this thread or to the work he's done, and I'll bet money not one of you gives a flying crap about it (or him) in the first place.