Buyers beware: Textthief making money on free Grail diary text

[Marc]

Hi all,

I just stumpled over this auction: http://cgi.ebay.de/Diary-about-the-...ryZ60361QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

to find that the text that I originally spent COUNTLESS hours on and then made accessable for fellow fans on www.indianajones.dk has been copied and is now SOLD without my permission :angry

Does anyone know how to contact e-bay about this?

Regards,

Marc

 

[DaddyfromNaboo]

Hey Marc,


Michael


EDIT : Hoookay, seems like he´s making a pretty penny with Indy props. So the only real way I see to this is sending him a COD and stating that you are the author of the text and that you do not condone commercial use. Threaten him with a lawyer or have your lawyer write something up (costs about 150 Euros for a letter), usually works wonders. In addition I´d really add a disclaimer to the text that you don´t want the text to be used commercially as soon as possible (if not already done before ages and I just didn´t see it). And maybe change the file format from pdf (easily to copy) to a jpeg or any other pic format so that copying is not that easy.

 

[CustomCreations]

Hi all,

I just stumpled over this auction: http://cgi.ebay.de/Diary-about-the-...ryZ60361QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

to find that the text that I originally spent COUNTLESS hours on and then made accessable for fellow fans on www.indianajones.dk has been copied and is now SOLD without my permission :angry

Does anyone know how to contact e-bay about this?

Regards,

Marc

That., my friend, is one of the best IJ sites I have ever seen, the work you must have put in is incredible !!!
I can see why you are so upset..................
Good Luck.

 

[BeastMaster]

This is what scares me into releasing my own work for free or even comercially. It's pretty devestating when you see people profiting from your work without your persision, especially after slaving hours of your time on it.

It looks like he's put alot of work into making it, I'll give credit to that, but you should definately be getting some sort of share out of the profits, otherwise thats outrageous!

If he ignors you, you can always email Lucasfilm about it. I'm sure their legal team will get him to take it down

 

[Marc]

Thanks guys!

This is what I wrote to the seller (and I'm serious about it):

Hallo!
Ich habe mir gerade Ihre Auktion angesehen und in Ihrem Profil gesehen, dass Sie bereits andere Gralstagebücher verkauft haben. Der dafür verwendete Text, sowie mehrere Inserts, sind in wochenlanger Arbeit von mir gemacht worden und als HILFE für andere Fans online gestellt. Nicht damit andere daran Profit machen können. Ich erwarte den Verkauf von Gralstagebüchern mit meinen Texten umgehend einzustellen, da Sie von mir weder eine Erlaubnis haben, geschweige denn mir irgendeine Art von Entschädigung angeboten haben. Im Falle von Nichtbeachtung oder Ignorierung dieser Nachricht, werde ich mich an Lucasfilm und Paramount wenden, da Sie in der Vergangenheit nachweislich Profit mit einer nichtlizenzierten Replika gemacht haben. Mit einer schriftlichen Erklärung dass dies weiterhin nicht vorkommt bis zum 23.01.2008, werde ich davon absehen.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
Marc Kitter

Hello!
I just saw your auction and your profile, which shows that you've already sold grail diaries in the past. The Text that you used, incl. several of the inserts, were made by me during countless hours and put online in order to HELP other fans. Not so other can make a profit with it. I expect you to stop selling grail diaries with my texts immediately, as you don't have my permission, let alone offered me parts of your profits. If you continue to do so or ignore this note, I'll contact Lucasfilm and Paramount, because you have sold non licensed grail diary replicas in the past and I can prove that. I expect your written answer at the latest on the 23rd. of January 2008 or I'll proceed as mentioned above.
Best regards,
Marc Kitter

Thanks,

Marc

 

[Ramiel]

Thanks guys!

This is what I wrote to the seller (and I'm serious about it):



Hello!
I just saw your auction and your profile, which shows that you've already sold grail diaries in the past. The Text that you used, incl. several of the inserts, were made by me during countless hours and put online in order to HELP other fans. Not so other can make a profit with it. I expect you to stop selling grail diaries with my texts immediately, as you don't have my permission, let alone offered me parts of your profits. If you continue to do so or ignore this note, I'll contact Lucasfilm and Paramount, because you have sold non licensed grail diary replicas in the past and I can prove that. I expect your written answer at the latest on the 23rd. of January 2008 or I'll proceed as mentioned above.
Best regards,
Marc Kitter

Thanks,

Marc

Welldone!
Let us know if there will be any news...

 

[Marc]

I got a reply pretty darn fast. Seems like the seller rather wants to do business with me than being sued by Lfm.

I have requested a diary to be sent to me and will than decide.

Thanks again for your re-assurance that I actually have rights too,

Marc

 

[CustomCreations]

Good man.
Just be wary of the selling side and rights etc to lucasfilm, esp with ebay waving the stick all to often these days.
You dont want to be tarred by the same brush, so to speak.
Well done!
d

 

[juno]

I experienced almost exactly the same thing with a German seller a few months ago. He was selling photocopies of my tickets. He ended up buying a bunch off of me to re-sell. It was a happy ending.

 

[Marc]

It's not my responsibility what he choses to do with my text. I also don't have problems with people making their own diaries and using my text for that (so everyone please feel free to do so if you feel like). I just don't like to see me spending countless hours on an open source project, to see other making money of it. - I think that is understandable.

Regards,

Marc