Sunday, December 9, 2007

My Intellectual Property

Recently I’ve experienced a minor surge in traffic on *The Life and Times. While my ego appreciates the attention, my brain wants to know why. While investigating the source of my new popularity, I serendipitously came across another blog (which shall go unnamed, unlinked), which had reposted my “Short Fat Toddler” story without a byline or any reference to my blog. Although the blogger didn’t claim authorship of my work, I thought that his preface, “From a link from a link from a link link link” left something to be desired in terms of blogademic honesty. Honestly, I felt a little cheated. It raises the question: What are the normative standards we ought to observe in this world of weblogs? I wish I studied ethics. Or not so much.

8 comments:

Michael5000 said...

Go to the repost and leave "I had pictured you as slimmer" as a comment. That line is classic.

blythe said...

ha.

also, speaking of intellectual property, you pretty much owe your entire blog existence to me. not that i'm proud of that or anything. are you on your way to pick me up yet?

The Yellow Dart said...

no sympathy. in fact, i think it's karmic.

look how artsy you're getting with your page header...

The [Cherry] Ride said...

Couple things:
1. Credit should be given. I'm with M5K - post a comment.
2. So how much is this surge in traffic?
3. And by "surge" do you mean, like, 5 new hits to your blog?
4. And can 5 new hits really be considered a surge?

5 of 9er said...

I agree the credit should be given... although I always use photos from the www and do not give credit.

Nice use of the word serendipitously.

Mr. Shain said...

photos from the world wide webs are there to be stolen. my work however, is not. or maybe it is. please steal my writing.

sybil law said...

I wish I had no general morals or pride and could steal your writing.
Hell - even your comments section is waaay better than my blog!
But that person is an asshat.
Comment.

Scott S. Semester said...

Jesus, that person was me! And I totally blew it. I'm not sure whether there was a reason I didn't link to you or I simply forgot.

I would have appreciated the feedback and the insight on how seeing your story elsewhere, not credited to you, made you (and others, apparently) feel.

Please accept my apology.