Comments on: Harry Potter and the battle for free speech http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/04/17/harry-potter-and-the-battle-for-free-speech/ now with extra source Sun, 12 Feb 2012 03:29:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Orin http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/04/17/harry-potter-and-the-battle-for-free-speech/#comment-21187 Orin Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-21187 Hopefully the Tolkein estate will be suing for the stuff that Rowling appears to have borrowed from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Hopefully the Tolkein estate will be suing for the stuff that Rowling appears to have borrowed from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.

]]> By: Jackie French http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/04/17/harry-potter-and-the-battle-for-free-speech/#comment-21188 Jackie French Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-21188 I write books. As a reader you share the ideas in the books- but you haven't bought the right to change the text, or sell characters and paragraphs for your own benefit. Rowling's millions don't change her status as a creator. I write books. As a reader you share the ideas in the books- but you haven’t bought the right to change the text, or sell characters and paragraphs for your own benefit. Rowling’s millions don’t change her status as a creator.

]]> By: Nic http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/04/17/harry-potter-and-the-battle-for-free-speech/#comment-21189 Nic Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-21189 I'm going to start my own for-profit daily email called "Crokey" and copy great slabs of your writing. You won't mind will you? It is not like I'm infringing any of your "rights" over your "property". I’m going to start my own for-profit daily email called “Crokey” and copy great slabs of your writing. You won’t mind will you? It is not like I’m infringing any of your “rights” over your “property”.

]]> By: John Williams http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/04/17/harry-potter-and-the-battle-for-free-speech/#comment-21190 John Williams Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-21190 If anyone could acccept this "think piece" as arguable, I should hope that none of my books make much money because, then, my rights to protect my intellectual property can be ignored? Unless my name was Charles Richardson, of course. If anyone could acccept this “think piece” as arguable, I should hope that none of my books make much money because, then, my rights to protect my intellectual property can be ignored?
Unless my name was Charles Richardson, of course.

]]> By: Greg Angelo http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/04/17/harry-potter-and-the-battle-for-free-speech/#comment-21191 Greg Angelo Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-21191 I wonder if God (the attributed the author of the Bible as the word of God) has any problem with people writing books about the Bible. I suppose the difference between this and JK Rowling is that God doesn't hold formal copyright. There also may be some problem with actually appearing in court. Notwithstanding the commercial success of the books she has written, I think it is difficult to assume that nobody can write a compendium about these books. If in the process her text is used and not attributed I would agree with her complaint. Otherwise I think any author should be free to ride a guidebook about any subject including her books. I wonder if God (the attributed the author of the Bible as the word of God) has any problem with people writing books about the Bible. I suppose the difference between this and JK Rowling is that God doesn’t hold formal copyright. There also may be some problem with actually appearing in court.

Notwithstanding the commercial success of the books she has written, I think it is difficult to assume that nobody can write a compendium about these books.

If in the process her text is used and not attributed I would agree with her complaint. Otherwise I think any author should be free to ride a guidebook about any subject including her books.

]]>