Cecilia S.

Dear Group,

Someone has asked me to provide a copy of my Phoenix 429 Manual (which is in German).

I am happy to do so, however, I am not so proficient with posting things...

I can photograph the pages and post them in a thread, as photos. Is this a good way to do it? Can the person then print it?

Or is there a way to post the photos as a "file" or an archive?

Please tell me which would be the best way so that as many people as who would like can access and print it for time to come.

Thanks,

Cecilia

Caroline S

I do not believe there is a place to post copies of complete manuals. It would take up too much QB server space. What I have done is scan some of my manuals as PDFs. When someone needs a manual that I have scanned I contact them and send them to their personal Email address as attachments. I don't recall seeing a thread just for offering manuals or wanting manuals.

Candace

The yahoo groups for the specific type of machine have archive/document areas for this very purpose. General forums usually don't.

eyes

You cannot copy and share copyright material. It's like walking into a store and giving away merchandise...it is not your's to give.

Diana Lea

I would let others know that a manual maybe available on line. I can find any manual for singers on their site for free. I have been wondering if I buy a book and let someone esle borrow it is that breaking copy rights. If not then why can't we share manuals? Just a question.

mlmack

It's fine. People legally sell secondhand books all of the time, and there are numerous sites that sell copies of sewing machine manuals, so providing free access to one shouldn't be a problem. Besides, I doubt that product manuals fall under the same copyright rules as novels and magazine articles and such.

Cecilia S.

With all due respect (really, I am not being flippant) I don't think it is comparable to walking into a store and giving away merchandise. This is a manual from 55 years ago, from a company which has not existed for approximately 50 years.

It is also not copyrighted as far as I can tell, because there is no copyright symbol or word on the manual.

People scan them in and sell them online; if this is legal, then surely scanning it in and sharing it for free is legal?

I do welcome any input at all - I am simply trying to help out other sewists here.

Also, many companies (Singer, Bernina, etc) make available for free, manuals on their site. It is in everyone's best interest that users have a manual.

It has been my impression that people who are selling them (on CD ROM, or hard copy, etc) are just trying to make money, but the material is no more theirs than it is min.

Am I mistaken at all?

Thanks, everyone.

-C.

DanofNJ

How long does a copyright last?
The term of copyright for a particular work depends on several factors, including whether it has been published, and, if so, the date of first publication. As a general rule, for works created after January 1, 1978, copyright protection lasts for the life of the author plus an additional 70 years. For an anonymous work, a pseudonymous work, or a work made for hire, the copyright endures for a term of 95 years from the year of its first publication or a term of 120 years from the year of its creation, whichever expires first. For works first published prior to 1978, the term will vary depending on several factors. To determine the length of copyright protection for a particular work, consult chapter 3 of the Copyright Act (title 17 of the United States Code). More information on the term of copyright can be found in Circular 15a, Duration of Copyright, and Circular 1, Copyright Basics.

DanofNJ

I guess I'm OK with my 130 y/o Wheeler and Wilson...LOL

Caroline S

Of all the original sewing machine manuals in my possession there are only two that bear copyright notations. One is for a Singer 128-23 with copyright dates beginning in 1915 and ending in 1947. The other manual is for a Singer Type 66, published by Wil-Kay (?, not Singer) with a copyright date of 1950. With the Singer Company's long history of guarding it's patents I am not surprised they would copy right the manuals.