Legal question

tripwater · Oct 22, 2009

Bitter Jeweler said:
tripwater said:

well I think I will go masturbate with 40 grit sandpaper now. I will get much more out of that. This post is like massaging a midget with rubber gloves but in the back of your mind, you really just want to take the gloves off and feel the back hair.

Thanks for all you do!

Click to expand...

When you want to point out when someone else is a jerk, you should respond in a manner that would place you above them, not below them.

How much research have you done using various search engines?
No, really. I have found your answer several times over already.

Thank you I see the light. You are right I am wrong and I was completely out of line.

Now off to Lowes.

Then to talk to a lawyer...

mrodgers · Oct 22, 2009

tripwater said:
Thank you I see the light. You are right I am wrong and I was completely out of line.

Now off to Lowes.

Then to talk to a lawyer...

I'm sorry to inform you, but my wife works at Lowes. You definitely won't find legal advice from a lawyer there. You should try a law office...

Sorry, I just couldn't help myself here...

Rekd · Oct 22, 2009

mrodgers said:
tripwater said:

Thank you I see the light. You are right I am wrong and I was completely out of line.

Now off to Lowes.

Then to talk to a lawyer...

Click to expand...

I'm sorry to inform you, but my wife works at Lowes. You definitely won't find legal advice from a lawyer there. You should try a law office...

Sorry, I just couldn't help myself here...

:clapping:

KmH · Oct 22, 2009

ErectedGryphon said:
Ask a lawyer would be the best advice, regardless of how you feel about the response. I will take it a bit farther though, the following pic (linked because it's not mine) would more than likely hold up as artistic images, rather than copyright infringement......
However, ask a lawyer is still the best advice.

I think the question was about trademarks, not copyrights?

www.uspto.gov (United States Patent and Trademark Office) would be the place to start online.

MtnBrady · Feb 17, 2014

Don't really have an answer for you on the legal stuff, but can I ask you a question?

What software do you use to lay out your letters? I'm in Wyoming so I'm sure we won't be competing -I'm wanting to try a little of the art myself!

Thanks much!

robbins.photo · Feb 17, 2014

tirediron said:
Okay, I'm sorry. You're right. That post wasn't appropriate.

Here you go: I've researched this very carefully, and you can certainly use another companies trade-marked image for your personal or commercial use without any permission from them as long as you stand on your head, spin around three times and pay to Allah.

Do you see the point? Anyone can say anthing they want or portray themselves as an expert in any field. Laws vary widely by city, state/province and country. Even if I know exactly what the rules are where I live, doesn't mean it's the same for you. There's an interesting thread posted about an individual sued by Getty because he followed bad advice. I'd suggest reading that.

Ok now that was just silly. It's 5 times. you have to spin around five times. Then you have to do that ala la la la la la thing that I've never been able to pull off.

As for our OP, copyright law is a lot like space travel. You definitely do not want to strap your keester to a rocket built by some amateurs in a barn somewhere. Some things you just need to leave to the professionals, and legal advice most definitely falls in that category.

The simply subtleties of what's called "Fair Use" could fill volumes and volumes on it's own. From what you've stated so far, my guess is taking an image of a copyrighted image like you have would be completely and totally in violation of copyright law and should they decide it was worth their time the company could sue you for every penny you've got and every penny your likely to make for the rest of your natural life.

But that's not the real downside. The real downside is even if by some miracle you might have a case it wouldn't matter. They've got a herd of lawyers on staff that are sitting around just waiting for the chance to do something - you on the other hand would have to hire somebody to defend yourself with - right or wrong this could end up costing you and arm and a leg even if by some amazing twist of fate you could actually win. They could bury you in legal fees and your picture of a letter could end up costing you huge even if you could eventually prove that you had the "right" to use it.

Personally I think that's a pretty silly thing to risk. But hey, entirely up to you I suppose. If it were me, I wouldn't even bother with a lawyer, I'd just find something else to use in my image instead, especially if I planned on selling it. Is it likely that the company in question will come after you for it? Probably not very likely. But could they? Oh yes, that is a possibility.

But I would also ask you to consider this from a more personal perspective. Imagine you upload a photograph you've taken to Flickr or some other image site, or maybe facebook. You are really proud of it, it's a great image. Then somebody comes along, downloads it, uses part of it in a photoshopped image of their own, starts selling it and making money off it without giving you an ounce of credit or a dime of the money they are making of your work.

Now, how would you feel? And if that would make you feel cheated, then why on earth would you ever imagine it's ok for you to do that to the folks who worked so hard to get Jack Daniels where it is today as a company, or anyone else for that matter?

Just something to think about.

HughGuessWho · Feb 17, 2014

robbins.photo said:
Ok now that was just silly. It's 5 times. you have to spin around five times. Then you have to do that ala la la la la la thing that I've never been able to pull off. As for our OP, copyright law is a lot like space travel. You definitely do not want to strap your keester to a rocket built by some amateurs in a barn somewhere. Some things you just need to leave to the professionals, and legal advice most definitely falls in that category. The simply subtleties of what's called "Fair Use" could fill volumes and volumes on it's own. From what you've stated so far, my guess is taking an image of a copyrighted image like you have would be completely and totally in violation of copyright law and should they decide it was worth their time the company could sue you for every penny you've got and every penny your likely to make for the rest of your natural life. But that's not the real downside. The real downside is even if by some miracle you might have a case it wouldn't matter. They've got a herd of lawyers on staff that are sitting around just waiting for the chance to do something - you on the other hand would have to hire somebody to defend yourself with - right or wrong this could end up costing you and arm and a leg even if by some amazing twist of fate you could actually win. They could bury you in legal fees and your picture of a letter could end up costing you huge even if you could eventually prove that you had the "right" to use it. Personally I think that's a pretty silly thing to risk. But hey, entirely up to you I suppose. If it were me, I wouldn't even bother with a lawyer, I'd just find something else to use in my image instead, especially if I planned on selling it. Is it likely that the company in question will come after you for it? Probably not very likely. But could they? Oh yes, that is a possibility. But I would also ask you to consider this from a more personal perspective. Imagine you upload a photograph you've taken to Flickr or some other image site, or maybe facebook. You are really proud of it, it's a great image. Then somebody comes along, downloads it, uses part of it in a photoshopped image of their own, starts selling it and making money off it without giving you an ounce of credit or a dime of the money they are making of your work. Now, how would you feel? And if that would make you feel cheated, then why on earth would you ever imagine it's ok for you to do that to the folks who worked so hard to get Jack Daniels where it is today as a company, or anyone else for that matter? Just something to think about.

You do realize that you wrote a 7 paragraph response to 3 1/2 year old question, right? I'm thinking the OP has lost all interest already.

table1349 · Feb 17, 2014

This ZOMBIE THREAD is from October of 2009! Holy Crap, I sure wish Newbies would learn to look at the DATE OF THE THREAD before they just jump into the pond.

Just something to think about!