In real life I work for a quite large publishing company. We produce texts (itÂ's a news paper company) but the copyright laws are exactly the same as for music (and they are very similar through out the EU the USA and the rest of the western hemisphere).
This is how it works (simplified version)...
Music, text and pictures are created by someone, hence they are considered to be a form of "expression" and therefore they are to be protected in two ways.
1) If I write a text, then I own the rights of my expression (itÂ's a freedom of thougt thingy).
2) But since I work for a publishing company that paid me to write my text (i.e they gave me time and money to express myself) this company has copyrights to my text. That is, they controll the commercial value of the text as it was first published, but they are not allowed to change or modify the content (only I may do that).
Now letÂ's say, for sake of argument, that Karantan steals one of my texts and publishes it as part of the briefing in his mission. In theory I can then call an expensive lawyer and ask him to write a letter that ends with the phrase: "See you in court Karantan".
In court I would then claim that Karantan has damaged my reputation, by using my text (and hence my right to express myself freely) in a context that I never intended.
My publisher could also, in theory, make legal claims at the same time. He would claim that Karantan has made him lose money.
In theory Karantan could then be forced to give up most of what he has made, in money, from this theft and hand it over to me and my publisher. ThatÂ's it.
But, and this is the important part, It will never happen. The main reason is that IÂ'm not the only one who has a right to express myself. Karantans equally expensive lawyer would then claim that Karantan used my text as a paraphrase, to make a statement about the times we live in. I would lose that case. The only one that would benefit would be Karantans and my lawyers.
My publisher donÂ't give a single solitary f*ck about my right to express myself, but he does like money. And thatÂ's why he would never hire a lawyer to get Karantans OFP missions of the Internet. Unless, of course, Karantans mission became very, very famous and started to bring in large sums of money.
So, the reason I say it is safe is because no publisher in their right mind is ever going to leap into legal action against a bunch of teenagers playing computer games.
Post Scriptum: ... and to avoid misunderstandings, I think the copyright system is good. And if someone ever want's to use my texts, or scripts or whatever to make the OFP community a better place, feel free to do so. Rules and Windows are made to be broken and I promise I wont press charges. But please, please, please donÂ't use my texts in a way that make me look pro-american
;D
Topic: Music Licensing/restrictions (Read 3495 times)