Prayers For Lexicon Steve

[kempermentor]

> >bboyminn:
> > I believe a law school professor and a team of his students
> > have volunteered to work with Steve V. for free to help him
> > defend what they belief is an unjust and unnecessary law
> > suit.
 
> zgirnius:
> Yes, Stanford Law School's Fair Use Project is helping out with the 
> case. Although the impression I get is that their interest in the case 
> is its possibility to be a precedent-setting case in copyright law 
> relating to the legal doctrine of "Fair Use", which they favor 
> expanding/protecting.
> 
> While I agree with your point about Lexicons (I own one or two for the 
> Tolkien Universe myself!), it seems the law/precedent on this issue 
> may not be very clear.

Kemper now:
First to Steve's post: It's not about the money.  There have been many
books about Potter that haven't been ok'd by WB or JKR.  What you've
quoted from the lexicon is from the books or interviews, but Steve V
doesn't /add/ critical/philosophical/spiritual/psychological/etc
commentary to JKR's work.  Yes, the Lexicon does have essays but the
encyclopedia as I've understood it would be printed without those essays.

JKR doesn't have a problem with the website.  The problem lies in
exploiting JKR's work for Steve V's benefit. 

Stanford could care less about unfair and unjust lawsuits.  The
opportunity to work with Fair Use as zgirnius said.  The publicity of
the case I'm sure is also a bonus.

I feel if Steve V wins it could limit what fans of future writers
might want to do (fanfic/art/movie/sites/etc) because then those
writers will have to fight for control of their work which would hurt
developing a fan base.  (I wish I could better articulate this thought.)

On to zgirnius: Did JRRT express a desire to write an encyclopedia
about his work?  What are the names of the encyclopedias you own?

Kemper