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.
Melissa, THANK YOU verry much for reporting all of this (even though I think it must be hard for you for the moment) and staying so objective in your updates and posts!
I am (like most posters above) really angry and disappointed in SVA. It seems getting worse every time we hear something extra. When will he get it? We don’t want his book when we can read it for free online (which I don’t do anymore, and don’t intend doing anymore!) and above all, I don’t want the book because I want the Scottish book from Jo! I’m affraid that because of the trial, Jo will be pushed to write the book in a way that is not hers..
I hope that RDR and SVA will finally drop the case, but I think that’s a fools hope..
Really I dont think it at all is a power trip. I think that was a really unnessacery thing to say about someone…this is her book and if she doesn’t want anyone to make money off of it good for her…this guy just sounds like a jerk…i still love joe…and he can just go jump in a ditch!!!
I, myself, have tried to keep an open mind about this whole case. However, I have to finally admit to myself that these intentions of Steve’s (though not Steve himself) seem very parasitic to me. Yes, I suppose we all live off of the creativity that stems from J.K. Rowling, but we shouldn’t try to Profit from something that isn’t ours. That’s another lesson we learned from the books. Point in case, the engraving on the doors of Gringotts. I do hope, for the sake of everyone involved, this matter is resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible.
I must say I am extremely disappointed in Steve.
After listening to his thoughts on PotterCast and relying on the Lexicon for ages, I’m very upset that he said something like this.
I thought he was much smarter than this, but apparently I was wrong.
All of those respectful things he’s said about Jo and Harry Potter have just flown out the window.
I think that Jo’s the one who got the short end of the stick because Steve has insulted all of the appreciation she had for him.
I hope she knows that we don’t at all appreciate what he is doing and hope that that dang book gets what it deserves: nothing!
I’m an author myself and I think JKR has every right to sue and get this project shut down. Steve has his website and personally, he should deal with that. If JKR wants to have an encycolpedia, that’s up to her. The website is not copyright infringement, but when you go and they to make money off someone elses work, I’m sorry but you have crossed the line entirely. She’s trying to control it??! Of course she is! It’s her world, her books and Steve and RDR need to accept that and step off. He has no respect for JKR and her work and I’m rooting for JKR to win. I STAND BEHIND JO 100%!!!
All I can say is I hope this is resolved soon, and if JK does happen to glance over Leaky see will see the love and support we fans have for her and what she has done for us and the world. After this post, I will be taking a little “stroll” over to the NYT website and putting in my two cents.
We LOVE you Jo and will wait ten years for the Scottish book to come out the way you want it.
EDIT: (Melissa you can delete my previous post if you want. I don’t mean to break the TOU.)
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 a [Much Worse Thing] instead, 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. (“Hog”s Head pub get it? lol… I’m dumb…)
P.S: Bellasnape I’m a him. Felipe is just Spanish for Philip. :-P
I find it odd to see this at the bottom of every page at The Harry Potter Lexicon: “NO PART OF THIS PAGE MAY BE REPRODUCED IN ANY MANNER WITHOUT PERMISSION”
I think Steve may need to take a moment and remember this.
Before this little outbreak on Steve’s part, I was kind of taking a nonpartisan stance on this whole issue. But this is taking it just a bit too far. I have lost a tremendous amount of respect for Steve. How dare he and that NYT writer attack Jo like that? She absolutely does not deserve this. Why should Jo be portrayed as the bad guy here, when she’s trying to protect charity proceeds generated by her encyclopedia. Whoever said that Jo & WB should crush RDR, I wholeheartedly agree now. RDR Books is a scar on the face of Michigan. (Sorry, but I do love my state…)
Of course I’ll still use the online Lexicon, but this crusade for “1st amendment rights” has gone too far and gotten out of hand. Let’s get some courtroom drama going, I want some action.
It makes me sick and angry the way the mainstream media is trying to make this about big mean corporation vs poor little fan. Why won’t they do any research into what Kloves and RDR are really like?
It’s obvious by the fact that so many HP companion books (theory/prediction/books on symbolism) exist that JKR has no qualms with peoples creative endeavors into her world. The problem is, Steve, nothing about your work is creative. Nothing comes from your head. It’s all out of JKR’s. Imagine, her wanting to control that.
I think many of us have wondered where SVA really stood while the lawyers were doing all the talking. Well, now we know. Not good, Steve.
Just a hypothetical question, and feel free to answer, but let’s just say that Steve and RDR books were to win this case and be allowed to publish this book. Then (hypothetically speaking here) could, let’s say, an average Joe publish pretty much the same book, calling it another companion book, and publish that as well? I mean, wouldn’t that just be one viscious never-ending snow ball effect? Copy after copy after copy and so on and so forth?
I just went to see the Ansible link, apparantly Steve is claiming that the new book is different to the online lexicon. I think that rather than support Steve/RDR’s case this just makes them look more stupid and immature considering that they were rather rude early on in the case when they suggested JKR/WB could just print the lexicon if they wish to have an advanced copy of the manuscript for the new book. Steve/RDR just continue to lose any credibility in my mind and I am quite sure in the mind of anyone who takes the time to understand the case (in other words excluding the NYT) the longer this dispute goes on. I am confident that good and sense will prevail and that Steve/RDR will suffer the consequences in the short and long term.
Your hilarious Mountain Violet, that really cracked me up – you really would make a good counsler for someone, you certainly make a good one for me.