Ethics - On My Soapbox.

Q: The reason I have been thinking about this, is because of questions I have been asked lately by several people. There has been a fiasco here. It was a big mess, the most action that this newsgroup has seen in a long time - full of flames and insults. Lets make sure we make no personal attacks here - no names used - no fingers pointed at ANYONE!

A: When it comes to making copies of someone's pattern in a book or magazine, that's covered too. Don't think it's not taking money away from anyone, because it is in the long run. You may be a published author someday, and then you may think differently. When it's your book or pattern someone copies and it prevents someone from buying their own copy of the book or magazine, add them all up, and the book or magazine has depleted sales. You may say, "well, she wasn't going to buy it anyway" - well, then she didn't want the pattern that badly, huh? If your valued friend wants to make it without buying the book or magazine, lend it to her - she can make the pouch, or whatever it is, and then give you the book back. If you wouldn't loan the book to that person, then why would you break the law for her by copying the book? If you put someone else's design beaded by you up on your website, it's just good "netiquette" to give them credit for the work they put into it. You want credit for beading it - your website isn't anonymous is it? Then give credit where credit is due. Someone told me there was a lot of grey area in this subject, but when you get down to it, there isn't, is there? You wouldn't go into the store and steal the page out of the book, would you? When it comes to beaded designs, we all work hard to make beading a respected art form. The grey line is pretty small to me. It's more black and white, right or wrong. Actually, even making it, much less giving it away, is still illegal. Some companies protect copyright much more than others, so it's always better to just make your own designs. If that isn't long enough, and all else fails - offer to buy the book from the library! I have done this successfully when I needed a particular edition of a book, and the library could get the new version. I paid for the new one, and they gave me the old one.

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