Copyright notices

Victor

What use is a notice like this on a document that is placed in public - on the RPA website www.rpa.ie ?

© Copyright 2008 Railway Procurement Agency. All rights reserved. This map must not be loaned, altered, copied or otherwise reproduced in whole or in part or used for any purpose without the prior written permission of RPA. The information contained herein does not purport to be comprehensive or final. It is subject to being altered and/or superseded. Recipients should not rely on the information. Neither RPA nor any of its members, officers, employees, agents, stakeholders or advisers makes any representation or warranty as to, or accepts any liability or responsibility for negligence or otherwise in relation to, the adequacy, accuracy, reasonableness, suitability or completeness of the information provided as part of this map or any matter on which the information is based (including but not limited to loss or damage arising as a result of reliance by recipients on the information or any part of it). Any liabilities are hereby expressly disclaimed.

So far I have copied it to the computer and used a part of it in this post. I don't think I've loaned it to anyone (unless you want to give me your computer).

Sully

I would have assumed they meant copying it and distributing your own version yourself and not printing it for your own use. The map itself is their own and nobody elses to copy/reproduce and claim as their own!

Victor

But I couldn't read the copyright until I had made an electronic copy on the computer.

Duffman

The notice is just reminding you that they have a copyright in the material. It doesn't actually do much else.

As you said, just by downloading the thing you have made several electronic copies. One way you could reconcile this with copyright law is to say that you have been implicitly granted a licence to make whatever copies are necessary to view the document in your browser.

Rhonda9000

Duffman wrote: »

The notice is just reminding you that they have a copyright in the material. It doesn't actually do much else.

As you said, just by downloading the thing you have made several electronic copies. One way you could reconcile this with copyright law is to say that you have been implicitly granted a licence to make whatever copies are necessary to view the document in your browser.

Is the American 'fair use' concept replicated in Irish copyright law do you know Duffman?

I also agree that the only purpose of the kitchen sink copyright notice posted by OP is to assert copyright ownership.

Pines

Rhonda9000 wrote: »

Is the American 'fair use' concept replicated in Irish copyright law do you know Duffman?

Well, I'm not Duffman, but FWIW:
No, not really. We have "fair dealing exceptions" which apply in limited, specified circumstances (such as copying for research and private study, or for reporting current events), not a broad fair use concept like in the US.

The US fair use provisions allow a court to look at all the circumstances and make a call as to whether a use is fair. The Irish provisions mean the defendant must show the use was a fair dealing of the right kind, and in most cases, requires sufficient acknowledgment to accompany the copied material.