Hello!
 
I've only recently subscribed to the ferret list, but I must say I'm
enjoying reading everyone's postings. There's a lot of interesting traffic
on this list.
 
I have a rather odd request, and I'm not sure of the best way to handle it,
so if I've broken protocol or somehow circumvented the normal procedures,
my apologies to the group and Chris Lewis, the list administrator. I'm
working on a book about the Internet, and I'm interested in excerpting
messages from the ferret mailing list as an example of how people with a
specific (and rather esoteric or "out-of-the-mainstream") interest can
share quality information via Internet mailing lists.
 
As a point of courtesy (and because my publisher has asked me to receive
written--via e-mail--permission from anyone whose postings I use) I'd like
to make a general request to excerpt various messages from this list for
use in the book. Rather than mail each member of the list individually, I
was hoping this might be a more efficient way to handle things.
 
I will only publish messages from those people who e-mail me directly. That
way, no one's stuff ends up in the book unless they specifically give me
permission to put it there. As a legal issue, the publisher wants me to
request that you all use a specific paragraph in your responses to me,
mainly to make sure they don't get sued for violating copyright laws. I'm
more interested in the courtesy of respecting people's privacy, but I'll
follow my publisher's wishes because asking permission seems to be the
safest and most courteous course of action.
 
Again, only those who e-mail me granting permission will have their
postings published. (I don't plan on posting TONS of ferret messages--just
a few choice ones that I think capture the spirit of the group.) Also, if
anyone has any "favorite" messages or wants to make sure a specific point
makes it into the book, please feel free to send them along to me directly
(otherwise I'm content to "lurk" in the background and read the traffic).
 
I think you guys have a great list going here (where else could I read
about the secret of the dryer vent as a ferret escape hatch?!), and I look
forward to reading your mail each time I log on.
 
Here's the "legalese" paragraph.
 
 ----------
I certify that the material is my original work, that it may be used to
promote or advertise the book, and that I am able to grant these
permissions. I grant this permission without expectation of compensation or
remuneration. I still retain copyrights to my material and granting this
permission does not grant or transfer those rights to Ruffin Prevost of his
Publisher.
 ----------
 
[I would have preferred that you had discussed this with me directly first.
Then we don't have to "negotiate" too much and waste bandwidth here.  I do
not believe that this is the proper way to proceed.  This is not merely
"a point of courtesy".  It is legally required.  This is what you should
do:
 
        1) collect whatever material you think you would like to use.
        2) at some point send email to the originator of the material,
           including the material you wish to use, asking permission to
           use it.
        3) include in the email you send to the originator the boilerplate
           permission statement for "signature".
 
I do not think that it is appropriate, nor legally binding, to use
a-priori blanket copyright releases.  You need to show the original
author *what* you wish to excerpt before copying permission is valid.
This does not apply to some of our authors tho.  I believe, for example,
Dr. William's material is, by law, a-priori free to copy.  But you should
check first.  See his article below... This is, of course, ignoring
aspects of "fair use"...
 
As two additional questions: do you plan on attributing what you quote?
Are you planning on offering copies of your book to contributors?
Roger, if you're still out there, you might want to send Ruffin a copy
of the FML article you published...]
 
By the way, while I don't own a ferret, a friend of mine does. (Despite the
fact that he lives in Calif., where ferrets are "illegal.") His ferret,
Waldo (because we're always wandering around asking ourselves, "Where's
Waldo?") is a lot of fun and much more interesting to play with than a dog
or cat. As an esoteric anecdote of incidental interest, I should mention
that I once spent a summer in Wyoming working as a newspaper reporter. I
worked in Cody, Wyo., which is very near Meteetse, home of the endangered
black-footed ferret. At the time I was in Wyo., there were supposedly less
than a dozen black-footed ferrets in the wild, but I've heard they're
making a slow but steady comeback. (Hurray!)
 
Thanks for your help.
 
Ruffin Prevost
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[Posted in FML issue 0909]