It is a sad day, for all of Leaky and the fandom in a sense, but I’m proud of you guys Leaky Staffers. This was the right thing to do, and I’m happy that at least majority of the fandom is together in this.
As for Steve’s comments, well, Steve, it’s not us who’re missing the point, but you who don’t even seem to be trying to get it. If RDR wins this case, then no other author will ever trust any fansite at all, and they’ll all work harder to protect their rights. And if Jo herself imposes any restrictions after such a scenario, then I can completely understand it.
Hope everything turns out fine and this trial goes through properly enough. Thanks a ton once again Melissa for everything. Your trial summaries were just what a layman like me needed to understand this whole thing and you’ve done a fabulous job sorting through it all to bring it to us in simple language.
It’s sad that it has had to come to this, but it was a necessary move and I applaud Melissa and the entire Leaky staff for making it. Steve has separated himself, in my opinion, from the vast majority of the fandom – and it’s time to make it clear we don’t agree with him. A win for Jo is a win for the fandom – let’s hope for the best.
My thoughts are with the Leaky staff right now. As the Harry Potter books (and ultimately, JKR herself) have taught us, sometimes the easy path is not the right path. As Neville Longbottom stood up to his friends, so have you…. and it is difficult. I’ve had to do so professionally and personally, and I know this was painful for so many at Leaky (I’m 36 years old, have had 3 careers… of course I know!)
For Steven to make statements that he is essentially doing this for the fans is ultimately reprehensible. My goodness, Jo Rowling has been exemplary in how she has encouraged fans online, especially in the Leaky Cauldron, and others. My goodness, I cannot think of another author who has made sure that the online fan representatives such as Melissa on Leaky Cauldron and Emerson on Mugglenet have a seat, front row and center, at many Harry events. I’m a 36 year old avid reader, holder of many obsessions such as HP, Star Trek, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, etc., and internet surfer – and I cannot think of an author or creator who has promoted his or her own fans like Jo. See… I feel so close to her that I feel that it is okay to call her by her first name!
Shame on Steven, and BRAVO Leaky Cauldron.com. I’m proud of you, and I”m sure that J.K. Rowling is touched by this.
That was undoubtedly a rough decision to make, yet it feels like the right thing to do. I support you all the way, Melissa and your whole team.
I just want to start by saying The Leaky Caldron has had to make a very difficult decession, and I think they have made the right choice. I’m a two month old newlywed to home internet, and there for very new to Leaky. So for I love you site, and am over joyed by Potter Cast. I have never been to the Lexicon website, but I do belive I’ve checked out a book about hidden clues in Harry Ptter leading up to The Order of the Phoenix. I did enjoy that book, but could never read it again if MR. Vander Ark wins this case. Jo has rights to the material she has written, and he has to honor them. If she says she doesn’t want him to write a book about Harry Potter, she doesn’t need a reason. From what I have heard & read, Jo’s main concern is that Steve is now wishing to sale for money content that up till now has been free on the internet. That is so wrong to do to the fans of Harry Potter. And just because Steve & Jo have a disagreement, doesn’t mean that she’ll close down all the fan sites, wizard rock bands, and the like if she wins the case. I feel like that is a scary tactic on MR. Vander Ark’s part to win over the fans. If the Lexicon is published, I will not buy a copy, or ever read one. I will wait for Jo to publish her own Harry Potter Dictionary, which I belive she has said will be called “The Scottish Book”. As I love all things Scottish, I’ve fallen in love with the name. I wish you the best of luck Jo, and the staff at Leaky! May Harry Potter live for ever!!
I definitely applaud the decision of the Leaky staff, as hard as it was to make. The parting of ways between friends is always a difficult choice. But, as it was mentioned, organizations with polar ideas, opinions, etc., would find it hard-pressed to work together or be partners.
I stand 100% behind Leaky’s decision and may the world of Harry Potter fandom continue on.
Its sad that the floo networj is no more, but I can see how it woulkd be impossible to have two partys who clearly think differently about matters such as what is right as a fan and what isnt, to not be able to work together.
I’m supporting the whole Leaky staff on this decision. That was the right choice to make. I do hope that someone will soon pop Vander Ark’s bubble. Reading the above interview gives me the impression that he’s living in his own universe now and that he’s completely disconnected from reality. Fans have not missed the point, he has.
If RDR Books loses, copyright holders will be given broad new control over fan activity, control which will allow them to shut down sites, stop authors from writing about their works, etc. So a win for RDR Books is definitely in the best interest of fans who create websites, write fanfiction, make wands, compose wizard rock, and so on. I am surprised how many fans have missed this point. Their freedom to create is on the line here.
Their freedom to create is on the line, but only if RDR WINS. Until now, there have been plenty of authors who do not allow fan fiction or other fanworks. The vast majority do, of course. However, I’m sure most of these authors who allow fan fiction would not be so forgiving of fanworks which attempted to interfere with their own profits, or in JKR’s case, charity fundraising. Especially since not all authors are as well of as Jo.
The only thing a win for RDR means Steve, in case you missed the point, is that authors will have to control their copyright more rigidly and ban all fanworks, fearing that if they selectively enforce their copyright (as JKR has done) and only try to block publication of books that take away from their own profit (rather than free to access fansites or fiction, or companion books that will not take away sales from their own books), they will not succeed due to the precedent that has been set.
Copyright holders already have all the powers Steve has listed. They already have the power to shut down sites and stop authors from writing about their works. At least in terms of fanfiction. They certainly don’t have the power to shut down commentaries, news sites, and anything parodying the copyrighted work, that’s covered by fair use. But JKR has had every right to stop fanfiction, and the only reason most authors might stop fanfiction in the future will be because you forced their hand, Steve. You forced them to completely and totally defend their copyright and disallow all works not covered by fair use.
That is what this case is about. You’re the one who is putting our freedom on the line. Not Jo. She is merely blocking publication of one book which would interfere with her own sales. You should have respected that and backed off, Jo is the only one who has the right to make profit off her own creations (excepting fair use, which exists to preserve free speech with minimal infringement on the author’s rights or profits). If anyone else profits, it is by her grace. Note that I say profit. Jo has been perfectly respectful of fansites merely raising money to keep the site operating via advertisements.
Commentary books are covered by fair use. Trivia books are covered by fair use. Fanfiction is not covered by fair use, but Jo has kindly allowed it. Neither the site, nor the published Lexicon are covered by fair use, and Jo has not allowed the published version. In the future, if authors feel they are not allowed to choose, they will simply ban everything and we will end up with a worse situation than at present, all so you could get your wannabe Scottish Book published, Steve. I understand that you want to get something back for all the work you put into the Lexicon. But you knew, or should have known, when you set off down that road, that you never had any right to profit off that site.
Whoa, that was a long post.
i am so happy to see the Leaky Staff not back Steve. When we allow people to make wide sweeping accusations on what would happen when this case is resolved we run the risk of alienating the entire fandom. I also love to see the respect shown by the staff to Jo. If we can’t be fans without having to steal from the creator of what we are fans of… then we aren’t true fans.
“It’s sad that it has had to come to this, but it was a necessary move and I applaud Melissa and the entire Leaky staff for making it.”
I second that. Well done to Leaky.
Ditto to all of the above. Personally I think that the fans in a certain way have a say in what happens (to a certain extent) and based on the above it looks pretty unanimous what we all think.
This is the right decision for Leaky. While it was probably very difficult for you all to come to this point, it’s not entirely unexpected, and it preserves your integrity as a fansite. I applaud all of you in the staff for taking this hard, but needed step. Hopefully people will understand why you had to do this.
It’s sad that it has come to this, but let’s remember that Steve Vander Ark brought this on the fandom, and on the Lexicon all by himself. It was his choice to publish his site in book form, and to bring all of these legal proceedings on in his and RDR’s actions towards JKR and WB.
I’m sorry to see the Floo Network gone, but if it preserves Leaky and all of the good you guys do for the fandom, I’m all for it.