'Potter' author worried about translation networks

Complaint filed by Rowling and her French publisher focuses on online translator networks, not on "isolated translations" by fans.

The story "'Potter' author worried about translation networks" published August 10, 2007 at 6:05 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

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[cocos2000]

So what?

This is called - cost of doing business. Dont be so worried Rowland, look at your pocket, its pretty big.....

[umbrae]

Amen...

I love how rich people think they need to suck the copper off every penny.

[cnetanon]

well maybe...

she certainly has the right to her own work and how it gets translated... but shouldn't this be civil instead of criminal? the bigger question is "taken into custody???"... really??? ***? Arrested and taken into custody for translating a couple chapters and posting them on the web... that blows my mind... is what this kid did really a criminal offense that requires the French police to make a raid? You can thank the DMCA and whatever the French equivalent to the DMCA is... US prisons are overcrowded but the same thing would probably happen over here... maybe we need to start taking people into custody for jaywalking and speeding also...

[itango]

Several Mistakes

First, the DMCA is US legislation, not French legislation. Second, the EU has no legislation substantially comparable to the DMCA, although violations of copyright (as well as patents and trademarks) are also punishable under French law, as they are in most countries.

The issue here is that NO ONE, regardless of age or intention, is allowed to make a "derivative work" of a copyrighted document, whether it is a translation, a modification, rewrite, etc., without the authorization of the copyright holder. There are certain very limited exceptions, but generally the violators charged do not qualify for such exceptions.

A copyright holder's rights have nothing to do with any money J.K. Rowling may have or may not have, whether she is rich or not, or whether she may be greedy or not. She has the absolute right to stop unlicensed people from violating her copyright. IMO, I find her to be quite a nice person, because she made clear that her focus is on the prosecution of organizations and persons who violate copyrights for financial reasons, and who churn out millions of unauthorized copies, rather than a single underage, misguided individual. Unlike certain organizations in the US.

I find the comments about her "greed" and how rich she is, distasteful. Before creating her fabulous Potter series, she was a single mother trying to support her children with no help from anyone. Personally, I applaud her, and I am very happy that she has given her wonderful series to the world, and am also happy for her that she enjoys such a high degree of success.

Although she is British, she embodies the idea of success that the United States professes to admire - she worked hard, had a great idea, and now she is enjoying her success. It seems to me that people that are attacking her "greed" just demonstrate their own envy and jealousy.

[menty666]

It's their own fault

The lead up to this book was how long? They knew the book was going to be big, and given it was the last in the series, why didn't the publishers just do it right and coordinate an international release? That would have headed off the problem and increased their profits.

There's no one to blame but themselves.

Having said that, yes, stealing's wrong.