Sunday 4 November 2012

Cyndi's List copyright theft

There's quite a bit on a few social network forums and blogs just now about an apparent attempt to violate the copyright of Cyndi Howell's material on her vastly useful web portal Cyndi's List at www.cyndislist.com. The allegation (I say allegation as lawsuits are pending) is that the material on Cyndi's site - which is completely free to view - has been lifted and placed onto another site which charges users for access. It has understandably caused quite an amount of distress to Cyndi, who is filing several lawsuits to order the violator to cease and desist.

A useful overview from Mocavo's Michael J. Leclerc is at http://blog.mocavo.com/2012/11/copyright-and-copy-wrong whilst John Reid in Canada has the story also at http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/cyndis-trial.html, including a link to Cyndi's own brief statement on the issue via her Facebook page. 

It's worth flagging up that last year Cyndi spent $40,000 of her own money to upgrade her site, which is some 16 years in the making. Many donors have contributed towards the cost, with some 37% of the costs so far recouped by Cyndi by September. If you would like to help recoup the cost and allow Cyndi to continue offering her service, please make a donation also via Cyndi's site at www.cyndislist.com. A list of donors is available at www.cyndislist.com/donate/.

A true gene genie...

Chris

Scotland 1750-1850 - 5 weeks online Pharos course, £45.99, taught by Chris Paton from 2 NOV 2012 - see www.pharostutors.com
New book: It's Perthshire 1866 - there's been a murder... www.thehistorypress.co.uk/products/The-Mount-Stewart-Murder.aspx (from June 12th 2012)

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