A first person example of the 'sharecropping' I discussed a few weeks ago:
The Paradise Garden dot com has copied one of my better posts "To Bee or Not To Bee", and posted it as "To Bee or Not To Bee by Herb Garden" on his/her website, with a link back to my original post.
You can find it by going to the website, then clicking on the herb garden category in the sidebar, and then scrolling down to find the post.
See, it says "by Herb Garden"!
Should I bee flattered they liked my post enough to steal it for their own content, or bee pissed that they didn't offer to pay me for the use of my content on their commercial, gated, website?
[She begins to hummmmm:
"16 tons and whatdya get? Another day older and deeper in debt. St. Peter don't ya call me 'cause I can't go... I owe my soul to the company store...."]
You may wonder that I complain, but then I use the work of artists, poets and authors to decorate my blog? The difference is, you can read freely here without signing in first, and I don't post other people's work as "by me", with copyrights posted claiming the content as my own. I try to give proper attribution when possible.
I didn't sign up to access that website to see if there is any original content there at all, but if you do, let me know. Who knows if they are gardeners at all, or just using the work of garden writers that they find on the internet to pad out their commercial site?
I also think 'intent' plays a role here. My blog is for my own learning, sharing, and enjoyment. It is definitely not a business. If a poet or writer asked me to remove content, I'd do it in a flash. I also think "fair use" is a good way to go in this activity of blogging.
So anyway, I did a little looking at the offending website, and here is The Paradise Garden's copyright policy, regarding, I assume, their own work:
Copyright
All Web site design, text, graphics, the selection and arrangement thereof, and all software Copyright © 1997-2008, KYSOG Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Permission is granted to electronically copy and to print portions of this Web site for the sole purpose of placing an order with Paradise Garden or using this Web site as a shopping resource. Any other use of materials on this Web site—including reproduction for purposes other than those noted above, modification, distribution, or republication—without the prior written permission of KYSOG Inc. is prohibited.
Contact Information
Paradise Garden
PO Box 267
Corryton, TN 37721-0267
1-800-490-7789
Our contact form is the best way to reach us.
Our customer service number is 1-800-490-7789. If you'd like us to call you, please email us your phone number and we'll call you at your convenience.
