Author Topic: copy right laws (Read 1295 times)

spouse of Jesus · « **on:** June 20, 2009, 03:45:25 AM »

Is it sinful to save some catholic arts from the internet, when you know that they may be subject to copy right? What if you save them only for personal use?
I have saved many images in my computer, and I am not sure if I had the right to do so or not. Should I delete them?
And given the fact that every country is sovereign in it's own affairs, am I subect to my country's copy right laws -when I use the internt-or that of the region to which an internet webpage belong?

Look at the answers I got in another forum:

http://www.incorruptiblesforum.org/showthread.php?t=932

Dulcamara · « **Reply #1 on:** June 20, 2009, 08:14:39 PM »

The way I see it is, I go the path of "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's..." That is, if it's against the law, and it's not a sin for me to obey the law, then I have to obey the law, even if the law is ... well... sometimes really stupid.

However, I'm sure God will appreciate all of our sacrifices, and frustrations great and small, that we make or suffer for the sake of keeping the law. (His and Caesar's.)

Other people have different views, I know, but... I have yet to hear a good defense of breaking this particular law. Not to mention, whether it's unfortunate or not, most of the time the artist is alive and well... in which case we are, in fact, depriving them of the payment due for their work. Which is theft.
(Even if they still have it to sell, you still don't pay for YOUR copy.)

Very few people, however, seem to want to call it like it is.

spouse of Jesus · « **Reply #2 on:** June 20, 2009, 08:29:54 PM »

What if the artist is dead?

Dulcamara · « **Reply #3 on:** June 20, 2009, 09:08:34 PM »

Quote from: spouse of Jesus

What if the artist is dead?

I'd thought of this too, but occasionally the legal rights to a work are still owned by a present-day party, or... in the case of artworks, the work itself may be "public domain" but the photo of the work is copyrighted... so the photo or scan of the original bears the legal rights.

It's complicated and makes one want to smack their heads against a wall... but that's how most images stand.

It's really sad that this is the case, because I know a website that has an incredible collection of just awesome artworks of long dead artists, and because of the picture copyrights, (not the work, but the photo or scan of the work), I can't have them. Very frustrating.

Ah well... another sacrifice, I guess.

DeMaistre · « **Reply #4 on:** June 20, 2009, 10:31:12 PM »

I think that the arts should be free for everyone. I download sheet music legally and for free here all the time:

http://imslp.org/wiki/Main_Page