Talk: Is it OK to copy ASCII art?

In article <32gp53$7m...@gagme.wwa.com>,
Ralph Niewmierzycki <ral...@informix.com> wrote:
>
>I just started browsing this newsgroup and I want to congratulate you on your
>talent with ascii art.  I also have one quick question.  Are these art 
>pictures copyrighted in any way?  If I want to use one in my sig, do I 
>have to ask the author?  I am refering to all the art in the newsgroup.  
>Thanks.
I suppose SOME of the work may be copyrighted but I sure havent noticed.
I mean what's the point of an artist posting a pic if he DOESN'T want people
messing/saving/printing it... As a general rule if you have the 
creator's/artist's name someone in/on the picture people don't mind.

Although when in doubt "ask the artist of the picture you want to use if it's 
okay with him/her"

Lots of people use other people's pictures in their sigs <and sigs are so 
small MOST people don't care if you snag a pic for it>  you don't HAVE to keep 
the name on a sig picture ..or atleast "I" don't..but don't EVER try to say YOU 
made something weither for sigs or pictures if you did NOT.  People usually
get ticked when you do that :^)


I've talked too long <grin>,
--

'##::::'##:'########:'########::'##:::::::'####:'##:::'##: "When I die I want
 ###::'###: ##.....:: ##.... ##: ##:::::::. ##:: ###:: ##:   to go like my
 ####'####: ##::::::: ##:::: ##: ##:::::::: ##:: ####: ##: granddad, peaceful
 ## ### ##: ######::: ########:: ##:::::::: ##:: ## ## ##:  and in his sleep, 
 ##: #: ##: ##...:::: ##.. ##::: ##:::::::: ##:: ##. ####:    not like his 
 ##:.:: ##: ##::::::: ##::. ##:: ##:::::::: ##:: ##:. ###: passengers, yelling
 ##:::: ##: ########: ##:::. ##: ########: ####: ##::. ##:   and hysterical."
..:::::..::........::..:::::..::........::....::..::::..::

Ralph Niewmierzycki <ral...@informix.com> wrote:
>
>I just started browsing this newsgroup and I want to congratulate you on your
>talent with ascii art.  I also have one quick question.  Are these art 
>pictures copyrighted in any way?  If I want to use one in my sig, do I 
>have to ask the author?  I am refering to all the art in the newsgroup.  


   This question has been asked a number of times, so I have put it in 
the next version of the FAQ (out Mounday).

   Here is how it is worded at the present.  I am not a lawyer, but I 
think this answer does a fair job of telling it like it is:


   ASCII art that is posted is considered copyrighted by the poster.  But
since the post goes around the world, and copyright laws vary, you'd have
trouble enforcing it in some places.
 
   Even when ASCII art is copyrighted, there is a general agreement among 
most of us that it is OK to copy and clip, repost and pass it around.  It is
generally used AS IF it were Public Domain.
 
   All that mast artists ask is that their credit be left on the art.  Until
recently, it was common for the creator's credit to be lost.
 
   For example, somebody might take a piece of existing art, add a Figletized
name, pop in their email address, tack on a quote, and presto, instant sig.
The one thing that is generally considered bad is to copy somebody's sig and
just change the name and address.


   I hope this helps.

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|_n_/___/_n_/__n_|  \_/\_/  \_/\_/\__n_|o\__\___/_|_|_|

+------ Bob Allison (bob...@wwa.com) wrote: -----------
|
|    Here is how it is worded at the present.  I am not a lawyer, but I 
| think this answer does a fair job of telling it like it is:

I do also.

|    ASCII art that is posted is considered copyrighted by the poster.  But
| since the post goes around the world, and copyright laws vary, you'd have
| trouble enforcing it in some places.
|  
|    Even when ASCII art is copyrighted, there is a general agreement among 
| most of us that it is OK to copy and clip, repost and pass it around.  It is
| generally used AS IF it were Public Domain.
|  
|    All that mast artists ask is that their credit be left on the art.  Until
| recently, it was common for the creator's credit to be lost.
|  
|    For example, somebody might take a piece of existing art, add a Figletized
| name, pop in their email address, tack on a quote, and presto, instant sig.

I think that this next part needs more emphasis placed on it:

| The one thing that is generally considered bad is to copy somebody's sig and
| just change the name and address.

Otherwise, a fine job.

|
|
|    I hope this helps.
|
| --
|  _       _ 
| | |_ ___| |_ __ _  __ __ ____ __ __ _ _   __ ___ _ _ _
| |  o\ o \  o\ o` |@\ V  V /\ V  V / o` | / c/ o \ ' ' |
| |_n_/___/_n_/__n_|  \_/\_/  \_/\_/\__n_|o\__\___/_|_|_|

Oh my god! Bob has a 4 line sig!  Somebody, quick, take a picture!  ;-)

Have a great day,
]) /\ \/ | ])
--          _
PROGRAM  (pro'-gram)  [n] A magic spell cast over a    .----.   . - .
computer allowing it to turn one's input into error    |C>_.|.:'.:.   .
messages.    [vi] To engage in a pastime similar to   _|____|_ ':.  O_/
banging one's head against a wall,  but, with fewer  |      --|   \/M
opportunities for reward.     (dis...@nunic.nu.edu)  `-######-'a  _/ \_

This is really an interesting subject, but I believe that little
can be done about copying anything at all that one finds on the net.

For instance, I have a sig for a dog-related mailing list.  I drew it
from scratch.  (Believe me, it's not a great piece of art).  Yet, I
found it, minus my user-id, in one of the small ascii posts here
quite recently.  It had been submitted by someone else, with THAT
person's name on it.

Pat