KB Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 seriously... as if she hadn't already cashed in with enough Potter books and merch, she'll even turn on her own fans when she feels there's a buck in it for her. Nice work. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7349913.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzy Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 That IS sad she can't respect that he's a fan and blame his publishers instead... its not like shes skint or ever will be! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators DavidB Posted April 16, 2008 Moderators Share Posted April 16, 2008 In all honesty, she should just let the guy release stuff, and then carry on with her own. It's not like it's gonna hurt her sales - people will always buy the 'official' things from the original author etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB Posted April 16, 2008 Author Share Posted April 16, 2008 exactly. It's not claiming to be official so what's the big deal. It's like she needs the attention too, coz she doesn't need the money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators DavidB Posted April 16, 2008 Moderators Share Posted April 16, 2008 Nah, it probably just struck her as something good to use as an excuse for not writing her new stuff .. and if it's crap, she can just blame situations like this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicky Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 (edited) The publishers should have asked permission (or at least the writer should have) to get Rowling's seal of apporoval. They also could try offering her a percentage. There are loads of unofficial books that are non-canon though in other film franchises and I'm sure they have to get license first eg, Aliens/Predator/Terminator comics by Darkhorse. Edited April 16, 2008 by nicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lala Collins Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 JKR is basically being greedy. The only reason that she is denying someone the right to refer to her works is on the basis that she's writing an encyclopedia herself. Tough cookies honey - suck it up. Authors have had reference works written about their books for years. You cannot censor a book that is merely referencing your work and if she does win this it will have major implications for other authors. Is she going to deny "Cliff Notes" on her stuff too? (Assuming it ever gets picked up by the American colleges on their book lists) After all that is a reference book too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Pants Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 It's HER work though. I feel sorry for the poor guy, I think the publishers are to blame but I'd be furious if someone basically stole my work too. If you record a cover version of a song the publishing goes back to person who wrote the song so whats the difference here? If she wasn't so wealthy would we blame her? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB Posted April 16, 2008 Author Share Posted April 16, 2008 It's HER work though. I feel sorry for the poor guy, I think the publishers are to blame but I'd be furious if someone basically stole my work too. If you record a cover version of a song the publishing goes back to person who wrote the song so whats the difference here? If she wasn't so wealthy would we blame her? probably not. Not as much anyway. But the fact is she is minted. the thing here is the guy isn't republishing the book, he's referring to it and it's characters. There are plenty of unofficial publications out there that get away with it. In all honesty the guy should only have to put unofficial in the title and in the foreword explain that the book and its contents are his take on the world of Harry Potter. I know i'd be pissed if it was my work, but then, if i had more money than sense i doubt it'd be that big a deal. It probably wouldn't have sold many anyway being the unofficial version. She should have had more faith in her fans and trust them to buy her official version. She's only given him more publicity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krypto Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 this is just a joke surely....shes well within her writes....awright then if somebody publishes a showmasters book but slaps there name on it leaving out any reference to Jason or anyone else....and passes it off as if they created it....its ridiculous this guy is ridiculous and it makes me so angry these greedy americans are ripping her off it doesnt matter how much money shes got hes got no right......to rip her off all he had to do was put unofficial in the title but he just wanted to rip her off and make money off her idea.....so if somebody took your idea and slapped there name on it....can you basically tell me you'd be like.....dont worry ive made money from it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators DavidB Posted April 16, 2008 Moderators Share Posted April 16, 2008 It's not like he's just randomly decided "oh hey, I don't like HP but I bet I could make money out of this .." though is it? He clearly respects and admires JK and her work, hence why he set up the fan site so many years ago, and now wanted to do a couple of books on HP too. Clearly the publishers haven't been on the ball in terms of developing something that's absolutely 100% ok to release. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainbowsparkle Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Well, I don't think either JKR or Warner Bros should be seeking damages, but I do think she's within her rights to stop the book being published if she feels he's stolen her work, especially if he's pre-empted her own project. As for the guy, it sounds like he's been a bit naiive and should really have gone with his initial suspicions that it could be plagiarism. Just my twopennorth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krypto Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 i agree with rainbow but davidb come on seriously......say if you released a book out about Lost for example and put it out without saying unofficial would you honestly not expect any reporcussions and him being a fan has nothing to do with it....you cant use "well im a fan" as an excuse to break copyright law and he knew what he was doing copyright law isnt exactly a secret oranything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators DavidB Posted April 16, 2008 Moderators Share Posted April 16, 2008 I just think you're being a bit harsh on the guy - saying he JUST wants to make money and JUST wants to rip her off, which clearly isn't the case. My point was that he is a fan and cares about the author and the subject matter too. He's not someone thats just decided to cash in on something he has absolutely no interest in, and just thought "oh hey, that's popular, I can make some quick cash out of that!". I don't think he's ridiculous for doing what he's done - clearly he had his doubts in the first place, and if things have gone this far and shouldn't have, then I wouldn't place responsibility on his head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krypto Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 (edited) lol....how can the responsibility not be on his head he wrote the book ? you missed my point it doesnt matter if he's a fan....he nfringed on her copyright......its still illegal...regardless of if he's a fan or not....its like assaulting someone and then going oh its ok because i like them really....being a fan has nothing to do with it......and i think he deserves everything he get he still knew that he was putting his name under the words harry potter....which is just wrong he didnt credit her in the book didnt ask her permission....if hes such a fan...yeah answer me this....why didnt he just put unnofficial and say in the book this is not linked to the harry potter franchise....because he saw dollar signs and he's hopying if he says he's a fan he'll get let off Edited April 16, 2008 by Krypto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators DavidB Posted April 16, 2008 Moderators Share Posted April 16, 2008 Mr Vander Ark said he was initially against the idea, partly because he thought it would violate copyright law, but was reassured by RDR that they could publish legally. I think that pretty much sums up how the responsibility shouldn't necessarily lie with him. I didn't miss your point at all - I just don't agree with it. Being a fan has everything to do with it. There's no malicious intent there compared to someone just cashing in. You really think he's sat around for the past 8 years doing some website on it trying to make cash from it? Or plotting to release a book eventually? Would he have even had that initial concern over the copyright if he was really so callous and evil and money-driven as you seem to think he is? I doubt it. I think it's a shame that it's come to this - I don't think he deserves this at all, and he's been put in this place not only by JK but his publishers for allowing something to develop like this in the first place. As for the wording i.e. official, unofficial etc .. I can tell the difference myself when I buy something, I don't see why others would struggle so badly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Showmasters Admin Too Tall Posted April 16, 2008 Showmasters Admin Share Posted April 16, 2008 I feel for the guy and just think he's a naive fan. He took what the book publisher said as the truth. But I don't disagree with JK suing the publisher over it. At the end of the day it is her product, she owns the name. No one would say anything if Microsoft sued me for trying to sell Too Tall's Excel Spreadsheet program. They own Excel as JK owns the name and works of HP. I think she has every rite to protect her work. She obviously feels that this book is not of a good enough standard to allow it to go ahead. It's her product, she can do what she likes with it. The money factor is irrelevant. The money part of the law suite will just be there to deter other people trying the same. If all she did was sue to have it stopped (with no money involved) then anyone could think, well I'll give it a go, she can't fight everyone and if the worst that happens is the book doesn't get published so what. There has to be a deterent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sazzra Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 I'm probably as confused as ever, but if this is the guy who's done the online version and is now just bringing it out in paper form, she's being a complete hypocrite, as she's said in many interviews she refers to it to keep her plot lines straight! She does seem very litigous - she was trying to sue a religious group last year for using 'effigies' from the HP franchise in their celebrations in India. It's all getting a bit too Lucas for my taste Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curious-Savage Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Good for her I say. Serves him right for stealing her ideas especially when she is all ready going to be releasing her own dictionary of Harry Potter anyway. Theres nothing worse than people stealing ideas, especially when he didn't even get it checked with her first. I think its more of a moral thing than money, as she certainly doesn't need any more lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducky J Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Although I do not agree with financial compensation - however, I have only heard that she is suing the publishers and the author to stop publication. I have not heard money being mentioned. - I do personally think that the author or publisher were/are a tad foolhardy thinking that neither the film makers or Rowling herself would say nothing about it. I can understand that JK Rowling feels annoyed that her life long work is being referred to etc etc in a publication without her being asked. After all, she did come from nothing and make good. It will be interesting to see what comes of this case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elwebb Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 I personally think that JK Rowling is not sueing them for the money but for the principle of the matter and I don't blame her for doing it. In case anyone's interested this is Warner Bros. public statement about the trial "A fan's affectionate enthusiasm should not obscure acts of plagiarism. The publishers knew what they were doing. The problem remains that the Lexicon takes an enormous amount of Ms. Rowling's work and adds virtually no original commentary of its own. As we've said in court, it takes too much and adds too little. Authors have a duty to prevent the exploitation of their works by people who contribute nothing original, creative or interpretive." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krypto Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 (edited) i 100000% agree with you and i dont even understand how there can be another point of view he has published a book about harry potter without calling it unofficial or asking permission or acknowledging J.K Rowling and to say its ok cus hes a fan is just ridiculous his intentions totally dont matter not one bit.....he deserves to be sued and his book stopped. its not even a debate thats just fact he infringed on her copyright that it...intention doesnt come into it .....it doesnt matter if hes a living angel or mother theresa he still infringed on her copyright Edited April 16, 2008 by Krypto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators DavidB Posted April 16, 2008 Moderators Share Posted April 16, 2008 of course it's a debate, or else there wouldn't be two pages of this topic .. There's a bit of a grey area relating to 'him' and 'the publishers' in terms of who is being accused etc. If people are being really harsh on the guy when he was told there wouldn't be any legal problems then I think that's kinda unfair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krypto Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 naiveity isnt an excuse....whenever you recieve junk mail or something saying "YOU CAN WIN LOTS OF MONEY" do you go oh wow fantastic....no you know somethings are too good to be true despite what things or people may say.....thats basically what this guy fell for....theres nobody who doesnt know about copyright....everyone knows you cant just slap your name on somebody elses work....stupidity just isnt an excuse in my book and for that reason he deserves whats coming to him.....if the guy didnt publish the book or had some other excuse then ok then fair enough....but ignorance isnt bliss and if i was JK rowling and id do exactly the same to him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators DavidB Posted April 16, 2008 Moderators Share Posted April 16, 2008 So basically he deserves everything he gets because he chose to believe the publishers? If he was unsure, and he was told it was fine, then I don't see that as being naive. Everyone doesn't know the ins and outs of copyright law, and it'll never be as simple as you're saying. It's not like he printed out an exact copy of one of her books and suddenly released it under his name instead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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