And this is why fanficcers do our stuff for free: because we're decent.
Some people's assholedom knows no bounds:
An artist is being sued by someone who has copied his work, to have his copyrights revoked. And, due to a legal technicality regarding who sued first (the asshole), a judgment will be made in favor of the design thief if the artist is unable to fund a defense as far as the copier decides to appeal.
In a nutshell: artist makes handcrafted metalwork art, firebowls with copyrighted designs. Other person steals the designs, mass-produces them, and sells them, as art, prompting a great deal of confusion over whether the mass-produced variety and their seller are the original artist and his pieces. Artist sends cease-and-desist letter; copier refuses, artist elaborates on his complaint, shows proof of copyright, asks for and searches for any proof that copier's designs were original. Copier makes no attempt to claim they are original and rather insists he has the right to produce his copies. Copier then sues artist to get the copyrights revoked, plus damages and legal fees. Because copier sued first, default judgment will be in his favor if the artist can't keep a legal defense funded through as many appeals as the copier decides to take it.
Visit the site for the whole story; I shouldn't need to explain why it's a chilling prospect that artists' designs could end up being up for grabs and mass-production by anyone inclined to do so, to say nothing of the thought of being forced to pay damages (what damages, anyway?!) and legal fees for the person who has stolen your designs and undermined your livelihood.
The art itself is awesome, if expensive; donations are welcomed, as is spreading the word. The artist has apparently spent fifty grand out of pocket defending his copyrights already, and the person who sued him is apparently trying to win by running him out of money, and that's just the most assholish thing I've heard about in a long time.
An artist is being sued by someone who has copied his work, to have his copyrights revoked. And, due to a legal technicality regarding who sued first (the asshole), a judgment will be made in favor of the design thief if the artist is unable to fund a defense as far as the copier decides to appeal.
In a nutshell: artist makes handcrafted metalwork art, firebowls with copyrighted designs. Other person steals the designs, mass-produces them, and sells them, as art, prompting a great deal of confusion over whether the mass-produced variety and their seller are the original artist and his pieces. Artist sends cease-and-desist letter; copier refuses, artist elaborates on his complaint, shows proof of copyright, asks for and searches for any proof that copier's designs were original. Copier makes no attempt to claim they are original and rather insists he has the right to produce his copies. Copier then sues artist to get the copyrights revoked, plus damages and legal fees. Because copier sued first, default judgment will be in his favor if the artist can't keep a legal defense funded through as many appeals as the copier decides to take it.
Visit the site for the whole story; I shouldn't need to explain why it's a chilling prospect that artists' designs could end up being up for grabs and mass-production by anyone inclined to do so, to say nothing of the thought of being forced to pay damages (what damages, anyway?!) and legal fees for the person who has stolen your designs and undermined your livelihood.
The art itself is awesome, if expensive; donations are welcomed, as is spreading the word. The artist has apparently spent fifty grand out of pocket defending his copyrights already, and the person who sued him is apparently trying to win by running him out of money, and that's just the most assholish thing I've heard about in a long time.