Staples refuses to print my PDFs....

[Nonlethal Force]

I applaud staples, and perhaps will take my business to a copy that I know follows the rules that protect the publishers. 'Bout time someone des! It's kind of like the reason I say that you to the rare person at a check-out stand that actually checks the signature on the back of my credit card. It's what they're supposed to do. Good for them.

Besides, it isn't like getting a receipt and printing it out is all that hard. As Bento said, it isn't that hard. If they still refuse, perhaps you should contact the publisher rather than getting mad at Staples who are just doing their job? I'm sure a publisher would like to know that information so that they can either put in a disclaimer buiolt right into the pdf file about being able to print with receipt, or else send you a note to that effect.

If only everyone would play within the rules, we wouldn't need so many rules.

 

[Mark CMG]

By "they" you mean that several people confirmed this policy? I've been in situations where a single individual goofed up a customer service situation and when the establishment was phoned, this same person happened to also be the person to catch the phone call. You should ask for a printed copy of the policy to send to the publishers when you request their permissions. Anyone should know a publisher isn't going to send out a an official permission slip that could be abused in countless ways. If there were a real written policy, I suspect it would only require a receipt of some sort as suggested above.

 

[JVisgaitis]

By "they" you mean that several people confirmed this policy? I've been in situations where a single individual goofed up a customer service situation and when the establishment was phoned, this same person happened to also be the person to catch the phone call.

My gf called me on her cell from the store. A couple of clerks who were behind the counter said that was the policy and she asked to speak to the store manager and got the same thing. If the manager doesn't know, then they have a lot more problems on their hands then not printing a couple PDFs for me. I work in Customer Service, so yeah I've seen some people at Network Solutions relay some pretty ridiculous information to our customers.

You should ask for a printed copy of the policy to send to the publishers when you request their permissions.

Got one. Their brochure actually has a permission form on it that I would need to fax to the copyright holder. Funny thing is it seems like the brochure was written for the photocopying of physical documents and doesn't say anything about PDFs. I usually don't get mad and vent my frustrations on a forum, but this has me uber annoyed.

Anything you write is copyrighted the minute you write it down. So if someone wanted to take a copy of this post to Staples and get it printed, they would need permission from all of us. I hope they do that with kids high school reports too.

Anyone should know a publisher isn't going to send out a an official permission slip that could be abused in countless ways. If there were a real written policy, I suspect it would only require a receipt of some sort as suggested above.

I'm a publisher and if I knew people were having problems I'd certainly include a statement in the PDF that states a single copy of the product could be made for personal use. They don't want a simple receipt, they want a form filled out. It sucks for all of the small PDF companies out there. I only buy larger PDFs with the intention of printing them out. I won't waste my money anymore as there is just no way I can read a 224 page PDF on my computer. Staring at a computer screen 8 hours a day is bad enough...

 

[Andre]

By "they" you mean that several people confirmed this policy? I've been in situations where a single individual goofed up a customer service situation and when the establishment was phoned, this same person happened to also be the person to catch the phone call. You should ask for a printed copy of the policy to send to the publishers when you request their permissions. Anyone should know a publisher isn't going to send out a an official permission slip that could be abused in countless ways. If there were a real written policy, I suspect it would only require a receipt of some sort as suggested above.

I encountered the same problem with Kinko's, and the PDF I was trying to print was a legal, purchased copy of some "cardboard heroes" - something that has to be printed to be useful. I only went to Kinko's because I wanted them printed in color on cardstock. Their response: I have to have a document from the publisher stating that I had permission to print that specific file. Proving I had purchased the file made no difference. Two different employees at the store told me the same thing. This was almost two years ago.

While I applaud such companies for attempting to follow copyright laws, let's be clear: they're doing this to cover their backsides, not out of some intense concern for a small PDF publisher. I can't blame them - too many people will sue at the drop of a hat, so they have to be careful. But a sledgehammer approach like this will make it more difficult for PDF publishers, not easier, to gain and keep customers.

As for blanket permission, many publishers of boxed games have for years included a "May be copied for personal use" rider on blank gameplay sheets. I don't see why PDF publishers can't put something like that on the cover page of their documents. Seems to me that would cover what most customers would need, while protecting the publisher from the rare individual who tried to print dozens.

 

[Cthulhudrew]

So I had my girlfriend take a couple of PDFs that I bought to Staples and they refused to print them. They said they need a written document from the publisher which states that they can be printed.

Tell them that the permission form is bundled in with the pdf files that you are printing.

 

[Mark CMG]

I usually don't get mad and vent my frustrations on a forum, but this has me uber annoyed.

Oh, I know. And you certainly seem to have covered every avenue on the situation.

I'm a publisher and if I knew people were having problems I'd certainly include a statement in the PDF that states a single copy of the product could be made for personal use.

I think I will follow your lead and do the same in future pdfs from CMG, as well. Good call.

 

[JVisgaitis]

Tell them that the permission form is bundled in with the pdf files that you are printing.

Heh. I think I'm going to try and take Broken Isles in and see what they say...

 

[Mark CMG]

I encountered the same problem with Kinko's, (. . .)

I've heard once or twice of similar things with Kinko's but never had a problem myself and thought they were isolated events.

As for blanket permission, many publishers of boxed games have for years included a "May be copied for personal use" rider on blank gameplay sheets. I don't see why PDF publishers can't put something like that on the cover page of their documents. Seems to me that would cover what most customers would need, while protecting the publisher from the rare individual who tried to print dozens.

I, too, now concur. Good call on your part, too.

 

[jdrakeh]

I've heard once or twice of similar things with Kinko's but never had a problem myself and thought they were isolated events.

It is supposed to be Kinko's corporate policy as they are the only chain of copy shops successfully sued for violating copyright -- what most people don't know is that the suit hinged on Kinko's copying college text books, binding the copies, and then selling them in their stores for a profit. That is, it had nothing to do with Joe Average Consumer coming in and asking the stores to make copies for personal use. That said, there's always Print-Fu. Cheap and web-based, for all of your PDF printing needs.

 

[wingsandsword]

I applaud staples, and perhaps will take my business to a copy that I know follows the rules that protect the publishers. 'Bout time someone des! It's kind of like the reason I say that you to the rare person at a check-out stand that actually checks the signature on the back of my credit card. It's what they're supposed to do. Good for them.

I have pretty much the exact opposite feelings, Staples is acting very poorly. If they place paranoia over not getting sued as a higher priority than good customer service, I'll take my business elsewhere.

Now, it looks clear that purchasing .pdf's to download and have commercially printed isn't what they had in mind with this policy. Companies that sell .pdf downloads need to contact Staples and let them know how their policy is interfering with their sales, and how a form like they are asking for isn't practical to be faxed around for every customer that wants to take their product to be printed (and since that's the whole idea of the product, that means all of their customers are going to need printing, and a lot are going to be looking at commercial printing).