I own hardcovers and I own PDFs legally. Can I print my PDFs to use at the gametable?

[TarionzCousin]

For every pdf page you print you must buy another hardcover book.





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[caudor]

Oh wow, how did our copyright laws get so silly in the first place?

Can I print a copy of The Player's Handbook pdf for my dog? He can't read, so I don't see how this would infringe on any rights.

I'd hate to have to buy him a hard copy; he might pee on it.

 

[tmatk]

Oh wow, how did our copyright laws get so silly in the first place?

Can I print a copy of The Player's Handbook pdf for my dog? He can't read, so I don't see how this would infringe on any rights.

I'd hate to have to buy him a hard copy; he might pee on it.

LOL omg thats funny!


Just because the world is copyright crazy, doesn't mean you have to walk around checking EULAs before you do anything. I'm sure many of us photocopied pages back in the day without paying for the books twice, or even once.

Just use your own judgment. Sharing a few pages with friends is fine, I don't care what the laws say.

 

[FlareStorm]

I guess its technically illegal, thats why character sheets and stuff say "permission granted to copy for personal use"

 

[Treebore]

Its covered under the "Fair Use" clause in the US Copyright law. Basically, if you are using it, either for yourself, or for games in your home, your OK. IF you ever give a copy to another person (give means they keep it), then you get into trouble.

However if your copying full rule books, hundreds of pages long, multiple times, then you are entering into questionable territory.

To sum up, if you do not distribute/give it away, do not sell it, keep the copies in your custody at all times, your safe. If others are found with copies that can be proven to originate from you, outside of your possession/control, you can be in trouble.

Clear enough?

If you want better clarification go see your head librarian at a school, college, or public library. They have been to many seminars about this very topic.

 

[Treebore]

I guess its technically illegal, thats why character sheets and stuff say "permission granted to copy for personal use"

No, you can, by law, make at least one "copy" of any book you own. Now that one copy can only be another physical copy, or a digital copy, not both. Now if you bought multiple copies, physical, and/or digital, you are able to have one additional copy of each purchased version.

So what that "permission" really means is that you can make more than one copy, as long as its for personal use, for either your own characters, or characters played by others in your game. Without that permission you could only have one copy made at any given time and remain within the law.


See?

 

[Icon_Charlie]

Oh wow, how did our copyright laws get so silly in the first place?

Can I print a copy of The Player's Handbook pdf for my dog? He can't read, so I don't see how this would infringe on any rights.

I'd hate to have to buy him a hard copy; he might pee on it.

Because of BIG Business.
Why you think I have an IP attorney on retainer?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]