Lexicon Article Updates
Legal
Posted by: Melissa
February 09, 2008, 12:04 AM
A couple of quick updates in the Lexicon case, in which J.K. Rowling and WB are trying to stop publication of an unofficial encyclopedia based on the Harry Potter Lexicon web site:
First, Steve Vander Ark, editor of the Lexicon, wrote Ansible, a prominent British fan zine, in defense of RDR Books’ case, saying, among other things, that “Part of the problem all along has been the automatic assumption on the part of many that Rowling has the right to completely control anything written about the Harry Potter world. That’s quite a huge power grab on her part and from everything I can tell, not legal.”
The letter also says: “[Dave Langford, editor of Ansible] and I are part of a subculture that lives off the creative work of others. We always try to do that in a legal and respectful way. However, if Rowling manages to extend her reach that far into our subculture, she will choke us off very quickly. And if she doesn’t, what’s to stop the next person from taking this legal precedent to even more dangerous places?”
In addition, a new opinion piece in the NYT Business section also calls the case a “power grab” and attempt to “choke” creativity by J.K. Rowling, and calls her a “copyright hog,” before going on to extensively profile Attorney Falzone and the Stanford U. Fair Use Project, which is arguing for the RDR Books’ side of the case. There is very little talk in this editorial of the merits of the actual Lexicon case or whether the book falls into fair use (in fact the article assumes that it does), only a wide and generic look at the history of copyright law and how this case may or may not fit into it.
As for the expected filings on the case: Some will come tomorrow afternoon (they will be filed overnight and take some time to process), and one exhibit, over 15MB in size, can only be filed in hard copy. That file is of some companion books already on the market, so there may not be any need to have it available for download.
We’d like to remind everyone to please be civil in the comments.
Well, he can kiss off his so-called BNF status. No Harry Potter fan who even remotely cares about the well-being of the material presented in the series or J.K. Rowling herself would touch him with a ten foot pole now. And if any Harry Potter convention decides to hire him as a speaker, I certainly hope the fans have sense enough to boycott that convention.
It’s a shame how ugly his true colours really are. I can’t believe any self-respecting fan, especially one as ‘devoted’ to the series as he has claimed to be, would ever so blatantly disrespect Rowling and the fans by doing this.
Greedy seems to be a very appropriate word for what he’s doing. He was a librarian before this – perhaps he ought to take what dignity he has left and return to that job, instead of attempting to make his living riding on the coat tails of others.
I wonder what ‘creative’ writing Steve has included in the book? There is nothing ‘creative’ about his work on his web site lexicon. It’s all JKR’s work. Yes, he’s done a nice job compiling all that stuff, but it’s still all Jo’s. Not his.
And now the answer to my query elsewhere as to how he feels about this is revealed. He’s into RDR’s suit up to his ears.
I’ve removed all trace of the Lexicon from my pc. Nor will I purchase the book if it’s ever published. He seems like such a nice person too. (sigh)
OMT
Honestly, I was hoping that RDR Books was manipulating Steve or that he was under contract so he couldn’t get out of the lawsuit. I was hoping… Now everyone can clearly see that Steve Vander Ark is either an UNINTELLIGENT person that does not understand that the HP Lexicon is not creative work and he is obviously infringing Copyright, or he is just plainly a big GOLD DIGGING HOG and a CROOK. (Melissa you better be happy with my language because honestly if it wasn’t out of respect for you and the Leaky’s very reputable web site and staff, I would’ve just called him an a*ole, which he most definitely seems to be…)
Jo and WB’s Lawyers: CRUSH HIM and RDR BOOKS! They disgust me.
Then join me for a round of drinks at the Steve Vander Ark’s Head pub in Hogsmeade.
so I did say something wrong? didnt I what I didnt swear, I dont know what I did, help me please, I worry about everything, I dont want to hurt or offend anyone.