Surely this isn't legal...

Started by .., Sat 01/05/2004 19:24:38

Previous topic - Next topic

..

I was in my school library yesterday and I glanced at the shelf and guess what I saw staring back at me. There was a book called Monkey Island. I though woohoo a book about the wonderfull game.. but it's got nothing to do with the game. Or monkey's.. or islands to be precise...

Did some research and found
http://cabobble.com/products/productdetails.aspx?ItemID=0440407702

It says it was puclished in 1993.. Wasn't mi1 made befor that?

Meowster

And all those Islands in the world should be sued as well. Bastards.

Damien

About the book:
QuoteAbandoned by his parents in New York, eleven-year-old Clay Garrity befriends two homeless men in the park and learns to survive on the streets in the dead of winter. By the author of The Slave Dancer. Reprint. K. H. AB.

Forced to live on the streets of New York after his mother disappears from their hotel room, eleven-year-old Clay is befriended by two men who help him survive

What does that have to do with Monkey Island the game?

..

I think we should sue all the monkeys as well...

QuoteWhat does that have to do with Monkey Island the game?
Absoulutely nothing...

remixor

Quote from: Scuthbert on Sat 01/05/2004 19:24:38
It says it was puclished in 1993.. Wasn't mi1 made befor that?

Yes
Writer, Idle Thumbs!! - "We're probably all about video games!"
News Editor, Adventure Gamers

Domino

I just had a brilliant idea. Wouldn't Monkey Island be a perfect name for an adventure game?

sarcasm, cough, cough

Rave

Wow. It must be such a great book too!!! It costs a whole FOUR DOLLARS!!! I better save up so I can afford it so I can put it in the fire place and burn it.... :P And then write a letter to the monkeys to display my grief and offense.
Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers

juncmodule

If I'm not mistaken it is legal.

I may be wrong about this but I believe that US Copyright law gives you only rights to a Copyright on the medium you register it under. What this means is, if LucasArts only filed for a copyright as a Computer Game then they don't own rights to it in other mediums, such as books.

Also, just because the book was published in 93 doesn't mean that the author didn't file for a copyright long before then, perhaps beating LucasArts to the punch (at least as far as books are concerned).

Just a theory.

later,
-junc

Ashen

Also, since it's so obviously, completely unrelated, there's really no problem. If it was called Monkey Island, was about pirates and had a main character called 'Guythrush Breepwood', then they'd be in trouble, my yes.

Maybe we should still burn it, though, just to be safe.
I know what you're thinking ... Don't think that.

bspeers100

I believe we had this same discussion on the old Ez-Board.  It was about some other subject.  A title cannot be copywrited, only the material can be, as long as the material is not the same as the original, the title is fine.

For example, I could make a movie called "The Cable Guy"--it would be confusing, but not illegal, as long as it didn't include Jim Carrey speaking at the top of his lungs.

Queen Kara

#10
Although it would probaby make it illegal , ( not that I would want that of course but just saying...*wink* ) , why bother to title a book "Monkey Island" if it isn't about monkeys , pirates , or islands?
*laughs*

I just took a look at the cover.
Nice art.
Klaatu Verata Niktu?

Jockstrap

Maybe it turns out that the two men are actually two monkeys and the whole thing was in the mind of shipwrecked pirate. I'm sure that's the twist at the end...
You whet my pants...

Sylpher

Quote from: juncmodule on Sat 01/05/2004 22:47:36
I may be wrong about this but I believe that US Copyright law gives you only rights to a Copyright on the medium you register it under. What this means is, if LucasArts only filed for a copyright as a Computer Game then they don't own rights to it in other mediums, such as books.

I thought so too.. Until I came across this.

http://www.ppc4all.com/appdetail.php?id=2628

Screw books! This has gotta be copyright infringement.

remixor

Quote from: Sylpher on Sun 02/05/2004 05:15:42
Quote from: juncmodule on Sat 01/05/2004 22:47:36
I may be wrong about this but I believe that US Copyright law gives you only rights to a Copyright on the medium you register it under. What this means is, if LucasArts only filed for a copyright as a Computer Game then they don't own rights to it in other mediums, such as books.

I thought so too.. Until I came across this.

http://www.ppc4all.com/appdetail.php?id=2628

Screw books! This has gotta be copyright infringement.

Well, that is the same medium as the original Monkey Island (video games) so I'd think it's certainly infringement.
Writer, Idle Thumbs!! - "We're probably all about video games!"
News Editor, Adventure Gamers

modgeulator

In a sort of related matter, has anyone heard the song "Monkey Island" by the 13th Floor Elevators? I've wondered if that's where they took the name from. It'd be pretty cool if they did.

juncmodule

Quote from: Sylpher on Sun 02/05/2004 05:15:42
I thought so too.. Until I came across this.

http://www.ppc4all.com/appdetail.php?id=2628

I tried to "buy" the product and tried to check out the developer website. Both are dead. Looks like the LucasHitmen already got em' :)

later,
-junc

Rave

QuoteI may be wrong about this but I believe that US Copyright law gives you only rights to a Copyright on the medium you register it under. What this means is, if LucasArts only filed for a copyright as a Computer Game then they don't own rights to it in other mediums, such as books.

So.....can I make a computer game called Grapes of Wrath about a penguin who loves grapes who fights canabals or write a book intitled Quest for Glory about a fictional politician as he strives to become president? How about I make a movie and call it The Greatful Dead  about zombies who attack an innocent village in switzerland?


Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers

Scummbuddy

If its discernable enough to not seem like its the same exact thing, then yes. This happened with the Spam product. A court said they weren't alike, and people were smart enough to know the difference.
- Oh great, I'm stuck in colonial times, tentacles are taking over the world, and now the toilets backing up.
- No, I mean it's really STUCK. Like adventure-game stuck.
-Hoagie from DOTT

remixor

Quote from: Rave on Sun 02/05/2004 17:03:55
QuoteI may be wrong about this but I believe that US Copyright law gives you only rights to a Copyright on the medium you register it under. What this means is, if LucasArts only filed for a copyright as a Computer Game then they don't own rights to it in other mediums, such as books.

So.....can I make a computer game called Grapes of Wrath about a penguin who loves grapes who fights canabals or write a book intitled Quest for Glory about a fictional politician as he strives to become president? How about I make a movie and call it The Greatful DeadÃ,  about zombies who attack an innocent village in switzerland?

Yes, this sort of thing happens all the time.
Writer, Idle Thumbs!! - "We're probably all about video games!"
News Editor, Adventure Gamers

Timosity

#19
I don't know the law exactly as it's different in different countries/places/states

but as far as I know, you don't physically register or pay for copyrights, copyrights are free and start at the time you create whatever it is.

Eg. If you write something original it is copyright automatically, same if you draw something, take a photo, come up with any idea, compile an original list of web links, and many other things (unless you sign the rights over to someone else, eg. if you work for a magazine, it might be in your contract that every photo you take for work belongs to them.)

It's different with Trade Marks & I don't know the details but it costs money.


But there is something else I'm not sure what it is but must cost money as I think Virgin tried to do it. So no one could use the word virgin except them. Fucken wankers imagine if you were in the playground at school and you said 'hey **** is a virgin', you could be sued by them. As if you can own a word for use by you only.   I think that might of been a bit of bullshit, but anyway.

© 2004 Tim Doherty

(and you don't need to include the "©" symbol as it is just used as a reminder that what you are looking at is copyright.)

Edit: and in music, Lyrics & Music are seperate copyrights

SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk