MetaFilter posts tagged with CopyrightLaw

Tim Langdell: Trademark Troll?

hnnrs — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 11:27:57 -0800

Tim Langdell started Edge games in Pasadena in 1990. The studio has produced no games, and has instead made a name for itself as a trademark troll: it attempts to sue almost anyone (flickr) who dares to use the word "edge" in their titles. Recently, the tables have turned, when Electronic Arts asked the United States to cancel all trademarks associated with Langdell, after Langdell attempted to claim copyright for the title Mirror's Edge. On his official website, Langdell also claims that Edge games was responsible for the UK games magazine Edge; as well as comic book Edge, 1997 movie The Edge, and - bizarrely - the TV series Teenage Wasteland. Much more on the fascinating cretin here and here.

The problem with music, redux.

goodnewsfortheinsane — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 14:16:20 -0800

While Courtney pulled an Albini, Jeff handed out the bread. Are the peasants acting like emperors, or do they still want something shiny, aluminum, plastic, and digital? Debacle or cage, something's got to give (pdf). Alternatively, you can just roll your own.

They just want to go home.

goodnewsfortheinsane — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 13:39:17 -0800

I know you're all lining up to buy Sealand, but The Pirate Bay wants to beat you to the punch.

Hork. Mix. Burn. (Strange Brew? Anyone? Anyone?)

logovisual — Wed, 31 Mar 2004 19:43:42 -0800

So, when did Canada become the globe's official Progressive Society Laboratory? They've got the health care, they've got the gay marriage, and now, they've got 100% legal file-sharing -- a judge has ruled that not only is downloading copyrighted material legal, but sharing it is as well. Um, whoa? How long can this stand on appeal? Is anyone here a Canadian legal expert who can tell us about how Canadian copyright law differs from our own? (Tall order, I know...)

Conservative Judge Joins Attack on Expanding Intellectual Property Rights

ajr — Thu, 21 Nov 2002 19:26:38 -0800

Left Gets Nod from Right on Copyright Law - A darling of the conservative movement, federal Judge Richard Posner criticizes the Sonny Bono Act and attacks the Patent and Trademark Office for granting "very questionable" business method patents at a lecture organized by the American Enterprise Institute and the Brookings Institution. (via How Appealing)

margaretlam — Thu, 18 Apr 2002 09:09:01 -0800

"This website comprises hundreds of documents (texts, scores, audio and video files) associated with music copyright infringement cases in the United States from 1845 forward. All of these documents have been collected, edited, digitized, organized, analyzed, and commented upon by staff at Columbia Law Library and the Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning." Under the discussion section, there a write-up entitled "Notation Software and Determination of Melodic Similarity". For all those music majors out there who are thinking about law school, this is definitely an alternative career waiting for you where you don't have to throw away all the music.

mlinksva — Tue, 19 Feb 2002 17:48:17 -0800

Mickey Mouse draws "get out of jail" card. US Supremes agree to hear challenge to the 1998 "Sonny Bono" retroactive copyright extension.