December 20th, 2007 at 08:36 am » Comments (3)

It is year end and like all business folk, we are looking back over the year and seeing what and who have most impacted our business this year.

Personally, family health issues have kept us at home instead of “enjoying” the life of show gypsy, but life happens and you have to roll with it. Instead we have been working on new products and the development of retail & wholesale websites.

The second biggest impact on our business has been what some like to call infringement, but what is in reality the rampant stealing of intellectual property.

Our YARNandTHREAD businesses are heavily involved with the Design Community so tend to be publicly proactive regarding copyright and intellectual property issues.

Sooner or later in any On-Line group discussions, someone starts spouting what I call the

Robin Hood Rationalization

These are the most insidious of the offenders. And, once introduced to the discussion, It is also the point at which further discussion becomes pointless.

They have decided, (without ever checking on the facts) that because they disagree with a law that protects Intellectual Property, and because these laws only exist because of their lack of respect for anyone or anything that stands in the path of what they have decided they are entitled to…

They attempt to cloak their criminal activity by Rationalizing their behavior by saying the law ONLY protects “BIG CORPORATIONS” so they are only stealing from those bad nasty people.

Like Robin Hood, these Thieves, these Pattern Pirates,

believe it is okay to STEAL

Apparently without any thought or concerns for who might be hurt.

Recently one person ranted that their action was justified as an act of Civil Disobedience. She made mention o f the Boston Tea Party. I would respond that there is a vast difference between Civil Disobedience to protest an unjust governmental policy – be that policy about where to sit on the bus to Taxation without Representation.

In fact, the reference to the Boston Tea Party, an act having to do with Taxation and how that was
considered Robbery without at Gun, is used to justify a similar act, the Stealing of a livelihood from the individual who has worked to create the pattern, chart or instructions you are enjoying.

I submit that behavior has more in common with Machevelli than Robin Hood.

Ignoring the fact that without BIG CORPORATIONS with the Deep Pockets to defending their Coroporate interests, there would be no viable protections for the tiny Microscopic Business of the Needle & Fiber Arts Independent Self-Publishers to have any protection at all.

Next time, you download a copy that someone else is illegally offering

Next time, before you STEAL (not share) an illegal copy of a pattern or chart –

Next time you offer to make Counterfeit copy of a Pattern or Chart or other Intellectual Property

Ask yourself,
Do I really want to be a petty criminal?
Do I really want to teach others that Stealing is Okay?

Everyone loves the myth of Robin Hood, and we seem to live in a Machiavellian Society.

Yet, it that really who you want to be. When all is said and done, nothing more than a common thief?

August 30th, 2007 at 10:14 am » Comments (0)

I was pleased to read Carol Ventura’s recent blog-a-mentary detailing on her view of “Free” patterns and information.

Carol’s commentary opens the door to an important discussion and I would hope one that helps us all to understand the difference between that which an author/teacher choose to gift to Stitchers and that which is taken with only the most base of rationalizations.

So what is the issue?

It is about the MIS_USE of Complimentary Patterns, Charts, & Instructions

And, how often, almost innocently damage is done by that Mis-Use through a desire to “help”

Usually not realizing, but all to often simply not caring, if by helping some, you are hurting others.

It does not matter what the craft, but for today, it’s Crochet.

At the core of the discussion has to be and is the shared basic belief of the importance of “passing on the traditions”

To name just a few others, and in no particular order other than alphabetical by first name
Darla Fanton, Janet Rehfeldt, Jean Leinhauser, and
Kim Guzman

All of the above, like Carol, give of their time and expertise not just thru their publishing and teaching, but by their participation “on line” helping others to “learn the craft” and by offering help in a dozen other ways.

Aside from excellence in teaching and a dedication to producing quality patterns another thing all of above share is that they have been victimized by those who improperly share their work, both what is for sale and what is offered via the web on a complimentary basis.

When an author or publisher offers knowledge on their website, in a “group” or through “A-Longs” on their blog for your personal use, that is truly wonderful and you should take advantage of that offering for your personal use.

We need to distinguish what and how we can ethically share the information and knowledge offered for so tiny a price as to be considered free.

First, Personal Use does not grant you right to copy and distribute

Second, “Education” does not, unless you are a licensed educational institution, permit copying and distribution.

This means:

It is NOT OKAY to duplicate and distribute it without specific permission of the author.

It is not okay for another teacher to take that and share it by using it in their own classes without specific permission.

It is not okay for a shop owner to download and print out patterns – with or without charge

What is OKAY is to provide a link and then the “Personal User” will be obtaining the information in a fair and ethical manner.

Why, because as Carol so correctly pointed out in her blog

” Back to reality. Free patterns are part of my answer to (gaining) increased visibility – and it’s working. My books are not flying off the shelves, but they are slowly making their way into loving homes. “

The very small price these sharing individuals are asking is that the individual visit their websites, groups and blogs to obtain their gift to you the stitcher. They sincerely hope you will find the information and instruction they share for your personal use is helpful.

It is also, as Carol pointed out, their hope that as a result of that visit you will find their style and presentation will lead to your investing in one of their publications or taking a class with them.

Don’t we owe each of these sharing individuals that iota of courtesy and respect?

Shouldn’t we be willing to pay the tiny price of a moment of our time for all the instruction and inspiration they freely offer to us?

P.S. My thanks to Carol for raising this issue, and more importantly for that class at South East Fiber Forum so many years ago that taught me Tapestry Crochet – I happily recommend all of her books.