[OT] Internet Stores no longer able to sell Games Workshop Products

[Alzrius]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Uh, no.

That's not entirely right - the fanfic writer still owns the copyright in their work, even if it's a derivative work. In the example, both Jordan and the fanfic writer could hold copyright in elements of the work.

To be more specific, a fanfic author retains all copyrights that are of his original creations in his fanfics. However, Robert Jordan would still retain the rights to his characters being used in those fics, despite every other character belonging to the fanfic author. RJ could then order his characters removed from the work of fiction, and the fanfic author would have to comply or face legal consequences. What he could do is simply replace all of RJ's characters in his fic with original characters though.

Basically, your work is always your work, and you control what happens to it. However, that does not extend to the point where you control private agreements in the form of selling items. AFAIK, ebay is the best example of this in that you can privately still sell anything you own over the internet if you feel like it.

 

[Bagpuss]

Great business sense on GW part, make the product they make HARDER to get ahold of.

Doesn't make it harder to get hold of. After all GW still do online sales. It just makes all the profit go direct to GW, which I think is the point.

 

[Krug]

First casualty...

http://www.gamingreport.com/article.php?sid=8138&mode=thread&order=0

 

[Cedric]

Is it wrong of me to hate GW? ...Should I feel bad? Yeah? Well...I don't care...I hate GW.

They are a bad company, with cheap, way overpriced products...and their Dragon Tower expansion for Talisman sucks!

Cedric

 

[trancejeremy]

If you're selling an item, you can use a picture of that item in an ad.

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/113.html

"In the case of a work lawfully reproduced in useful articles that have been offered for sale or other distribution to the public, copyright does not include any right to prevent the making, distribution, or display of pictures or photographs of such articles in connection with advertisements or commentaries related to the distribution or display of such articles, or in connection with news reports. "

That is why in ads from things like Best Buy, you see tiny little pictures of video game boxes, cds, DVDs, etc.

What they can't do is use the picture to sell something else. Like they can't show a movie playing on a TV in an ad and try to sell the TV (unless they get permission, which they sometimes do when a studio is pushing a recent movie release, and you then see a copyright notice).

And of course, the law is often determined by who is willing to pay a lawyer the longest. GW can sue anyone for anything, and if they are willing to pay their lawyers, chances are the opponent will give in. TSR used to do this a lot.

 

[chatdemon]

First casualty...

http://www.gamingreport.com/article.php?sid=8138&mode=thread&order=0

That whole internet game shop is closing because one vendor changes its rules? Sounds a little fishy to me.

 

[Kanegrundar]

I think it sounds like they were on the verge of closing and this was the straw that broke the camel's back. Let's face it, a lot of shops are going to feel the bite of this action since they do more business in GW products than any others. With no GW income, they will be watching their profits go the way of the dodo. I would have thought, however, that a business that dealt in such a wide variety of items could at least attempt to weather the storm for a couple months before giving up...

For what it's worth,
Kane

 

[Ulrick]

*Walks in with a case load of Chainmail and Reaper miniatures*


SOOOO! When does that new D&D Mass Combat system come out???


GW has given me reasons not to purchase their stuff...

1. Too expensive for mediocre quality.
2. The wargaming rules stink.
3. Unethical business practices, IMHO.

Argh. I've been long hoping somebody knocks GW off its high horse because of business practices like this.

 

[RigaMortus2]

GW mini's are crap anyway.

I won't lose sleep over this..

 

[Hejdun]

so as long as this isn't a precursor to massive markups pricewise...

GW's stuff is already too expensive.

The reason this really sucks for me is because GW stuff online is about 50% the cost of GW stuff at hobby stores. What used to be an affordable hobby (albeit barely) has just turned into a horrid waste of money.