FS/MMAO: Atari 800XL custom lamp

[Cebus Capucinis]

Item no longer for sale. Not only did I decide to keep it, but it has been pointed out that the shade would be in violation of copyright law. In keeping consistent with AtariAge's rules (which do also apply to myself), the item has been pulled. Thanks!

[Cebus Capucinis]

And a bump-a-roni for the newest item, a CUSTOM ATARI 800XL LAMP.

[Brian O]

Bump-a-roo-ski.

 

This is cool! Nice job, Cebus.

[Cebus Capucinis]

Bumpski!

[Cebus Capucinis]

Bump.

[Cebus Capucinis]

Weekend bumpski.

[Defender II]

Copyright laws affect more than ROMs.

What are you going to use for making the lampshades now since the copies of the box graphics violate copyrights?

As far as backups go, many manufacturer's of disk based software told us to make a backup to use and that we should store our originals. Making a backup is not illegal, but selling it without including the original is.

[Cebus Capucinis]

To be honest, I've hung up my hat doing this anyway. I forgot this thread was even around, and I've decided in the interim I've wanted to keep it nonetheless.

 

I haven't really thought about it, to be frank. It would be cool to use some sort of custom artwork, or even if I ever made another one to use only homebrews and get permission from the homebrew guys. A homebrew lamp would be pretty awesome, to be honest.

 

I appreciate your concern for my legal well-being, which I'm sure is what your true motivation for that post is, especially with the "backup" portion that is clearly relevant in this thread.

[Defender II]

To be honest, I've hung up my hat doing this anyway. I forgot this thread was even around, and I've decided in the interim I've wanted to keep it nonetheless.

 

I haven't really thought about it, to be frank. It would be cool to use some sort of custom artwork, or even if I ever made another one to use only homebrews and get permission from the homebrew guys. A homebrew lamp would be pretty awesome, to be honest.

 

I appreciate your concern for my legal well-being, which I'm sure is what your true motivation for that post is, especially with the "backup" portion that is clearly relevant in this thread.

 

I do care about what happens to you and other members regarding legal reprecussions. I don't want anything bad to happen to this site or its members. The post I linked to is locked and my true motivation was to correct what I see as mistatement related to copyrights. There are many copies/back-ups made of many things, and as long as they are not used to deprive the copyright holder of their livelyhood most are fine. There are many examples: Teachers are legally allowed to copy pages of textbooks for use in classrooms, provided they don't copy they whole book and follow a few other rules. You can also make a backup of a video tape to play and put away the original if you own it, but can't rent one and make a copy. Reel to reel and casstte recorders have been sold for decades and been allowed to record over the air broadcasts legally for private use but not public use or profit. Many people used cassette recorders to transfer thier expensive record (plastic disk with groves based on and Edison invention) ; ) collections to tape so they could play them in their car or portables. Video tape recorders were made specifically with timing capabilities to record programs and have been allowed by the courts. Before BETA and VHS the Sony U-matic was used for many years in schools to record PBS broadcasts to be played back in classrooms. The Library of Congress and museums have made copies of and transfered films to other media for preservation purposes. Famous artists like Andrew Worhola have taken copyrighted works and reprinted them with changes and called them as their own for years. I've seen pictures of many famous paintings in art books, and I know they aren't paying the artists any copyright fees. I don't think photographing an old box and making it into a lampshade is too different, but aparently it may not be considered a matter of free speech as a Andy Worhol print which sells for thousands. Basically anyone using the Atari logo on their hombrews without permission and selling them would be considered to be violating trademark and copyright, so where does it end? Without us, none of the Flashback consoles would have been designed by Curt because he wouldn't have wasted his time just making one for himself, Atari knows that. We are still consumers of their products and not doing anything to stop them from reproducing all thier original items, but they won't because we don't make up enough of the current market share for it to be finacially profitable to them. Anyone want to go and search out all of the applicable US copyright laws?

[Cebus Capucinis]

First, an apology is in order on my part then. There have been some members who have decided that a current situation involving moderators is a ripe opportunity for trolling, and I read your post the incorrect way and interpreted it as a continuation of that trolling. Since posting that message in the Marketplace, I have received several instigating PMs and some members have decided to attack moderators in other forums for the decision. I read your post as another attempt in that direction, and for that, I'm sorry.

 

Second, the post in the Marketplace is not meant to be a catch-all for everything incorporated in copyright law. As your post shows, you're certainly familiar with how complicated, frustrating, and in-depth US Copyright law really is. In almost every situation short of complete copying for material gain purposes, there's really no complete guideline. Almost everything becomes a 'grey' area, especially when Fair Use is concerned -- everything turns into a case-by-case basis and things become very problematic, and for the average user of AtariAge, frustrating. I think your statement of "Where does it end?" is true when it's concerned.

 

However, I think you might be overstating the impact and intention of the post in the Marketplace forum. It is not meant to be a complete, all-encompassing rule regarding everything that violates copyright. It is meant to address a single situation that was brought to the moderating team's attention regarding sales of copyrighted ROMs and "backup" media in the marketplace. The post was meant to clarify that single situation.

 

I've actually posted several dissertation-length posts (exaggeration, of course, but still, for the average post on AA they're quite long) describing United States copyright law in massive detail. I'm guessing a search under my posts for 'copyright' will find these posts. In the meantime, I always use Stanford's Copyright & Fair Use Center website as a great resource for all members to understand US Copyright law: http://fairuse.stanford.edu/ , or more importantly, http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/ .

 

In regard to your initial statement, you're absolutely correct -- copying the boxes for the lampshade clearly violates copyright, and as such I should not be permitted to sell the lampshades on AtariAge. The rules should apply to everyone equally, and I think that's the crux of where a lof of members get frustrated -- there is a feeling that the rules aren't equally applied. That was where my thought process went when I saw your initial post.

 

I think in regard to AtariAge's policy as far as copyright is concerned, it's ultimately up to Albert to decide what is and is not allowed. I'm going to send him a PM sometime shortly to ask him if he would be interested in creating something that clarifies the position for members. If we are to take a very hard-line stance on this, reproductions will not be allowed, nor will so many other things that make AtariAge a really cool place to be!