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xyphic
Forum git


Joined: 14 Sep 2003
Posts: 2804
Location: Cambridge, UK

PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 12:27 pm    Post subject: Important Message: Incoming Disruption Reply with quote

Hi all,

We've had a request to remove all the puzzles from one particular author. In order to do this, we're going to have to delete some contests and take others offline while we determine how best to extricate the puzzles from existing collaborative contests. It's likely that this process will take a few days.

Apologies in advance to those people who were in the middle of the affected contests.

To other puzzle authors: for those of you with affected collaborative contests, we will endeavour to contact you via the moderator forums for those contests. We'll work with you on an individual basis to determine the form of your contest as and when it is brought back online.

Please report any site glitches you discover over the next few days to me or one of the other admins via PM or email.

Thanks,
xyphic
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JWawro
Mr. Frosty


Joined: 21 Apr 2006
Posts: 2223

PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 3:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Color me surprised. I would have anticipated that all puzzles posted on Puzzletome are the property of Puzzletome. I'm sure there is a good reason for this action, but I'm shocked.

And a little disappointed.

I'll get over both, I'm sure.
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Tehnbar
Soft and dull eyed fool


Joined: 08 Feb 2010
Posts: 4
Location: Seattle, WA

PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 5:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Can we have a list of the puzzles that will be permanently affected?
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The Hirsute One
Hairy but harmless


Joined: 20 Jul 2006
Posts: 17291
Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK

PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 5:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Working on that at the moment - and our apologies again.
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Stretham
Forum Hardass


Joined: 15 Sep 2003
Posts: 24764
Location: Here, there, somewhere, everywhere

PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 5:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tehnbar wrote:
Can we have a list of the puzzles that will be permanently affected?

We are currently compiling that list. With apologies that we can't be more definitive immediately, the list will be provided to you as soon as we have it available.

Stretham
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Stretham
Forum Hardass


Joined: 15 Sep 2003
Posts: 24764
Location: Here, there, somewhere, everywhere

PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Below is the list of affected contests. Note that if you have previously started a contest it will still be listed on the contents page but you will not be able to access it. The exception to this is "PTI: Murder Most Foul" which has been permanently removed.

We will now undergo a process of examining the disabled contests to determine actions on a case by case basis. Apologies in advance  as this process is likely to take some time.

Back To Basics
Colouring Book
Colouring Book Two
Easter Eggs
Festive Fun
Festive Fun II
Festive Fun III
Festive Fun IV
Halloween
Halloween II
Halloween III
Halloween IV
PTI: Murder Most Foul
PuzzleToMe
PuzzleToMe II
PuzzleToMe III
Puzzletome Contest One
Puzzletome Contest Two
Summertime Special
Summertime Special II
Valentine 2009
What The Dickens...!
What The Dickens II

Stretham
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Franca
What a sweep of vanity comes this way


Joined: 11 Jan 2005
Posts: 894

PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you for the information. I think, I do not speak only for myself when I say: we appreciate all your efforts  Thumbs up

Regards, Franca
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Robin
Scurvy, old, filthy, scurry lord


Joined: 06 Mar 2004
Posts: 501
Location: Durham, England

PostPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 8:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am surprised that the situation is not as Jay says - but no doubt you have investigated the legal position.

I am also surprised that the author concerned would be so spiteful as to demand that their work is removed from PT entirely; one can only presume that they intend to reuse these puzzles for profit somewhere else?

It's a real shame, in my opinion, particularly for those who were in the middle of one of these contests (perhaps having devoted months to them), as well as for leaving big holes in some of the collaborative contests. But I assume the admin had no choice over the matter, in which case I must also thank them for sorting out this unsavoury mess in what appears to be the least unsatisfactory manner possible.
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SparkPlug
Because I can


Joined: 30 Jan 2004
Posts: 11973
Location: Here!

PostPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 9:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

We believe the legal position is as Jay suggests.

The decision to comply with this totally irrational request (which, as you rightly infer, hurts the members more than the admins) was made for a number of other reasons, not least of which was the fact that the majority of the stuff to be removed is of a standard not worth fighting to retain!
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ASA
Thou craven dread-bolted clotpole


Joined: 03 Feb 2004
Posts: 5221
Location: Adelaide, Australia

PostPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 12:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

At least it has reduced the number of contests I am stuck on.
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Alan

Puzzletome : It is a puzzle to me too
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Natasja
Thou whoreson cullionly barbermonger


Joined: 20 May 2007
Posts: 136

PostPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 1:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

LOL, I was thinking the same thing!  Cool

Anyway, it is quite sad that all this has to happen, although I can't imagine that none of you expected this sooner or later.

It would have been more fun for everyone if you could have put your time and efforts in creating new puzzles.

Just wanting to let you know that I am sorry for all the hassle that this brought up for you guys and that I appreciate all the work you do to maintain this site and keep the fun going!
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cae_prince
A most toad spotted traitor


Joined: 27 Sep 2007
Posts: 575

PostPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 4:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

We are utterly disappointed in the author's decision to have their puzzles taken off. The decision stinks of a spiteful motive, and I'm sorry that you guys have to put up with this.  We never dreamt that it would come to this.

We truly appreciate the efforts that you've made to keep this site going, and you can be sure you'll have our support all through.

xx
Caroline
TriUmph
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stozz
Pernicious and indubitate beggar


Joined: 23 Mar 2004
Posts: 356
Location: Nottingham, England

PostPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 5:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

SparkPlug wrote:
We believe the legal position is as Jay suggests.

I am not a copyright lawyer (although I had to learn about it for my tax exams), but I would side with the author on the legal perspective.

The basic principle in copylight law is that the copyright attached to a "creation" rests with the creator. There is an exception to this, which is that the copyright on work performed by an employee in connection with their employment duties can often be held by the employer. From this (and I am assuming that Puzzletome is not a company, and has no employees), it seems that the creation of a puzzle on such a puzzle site would only ever belong to the creator, for him/her to do as he/she wishes.

How this ties into to copyright message on the Puzzletome front page, I don't know and would be interest to know. If the copyrights are deemed to be owned by Puzzletome, what exactly does that mean? What is Puzzletome, in legal substance, other than a collection of authors and administrators? In which case, how can the creator lose his/her copyright?

And anyway, can the assignment of copyright be valid by a simple statement such as that, without requiring a signed document? Again, I don't know.

Jonathan
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Firecracker
A great lubberly boy


Joined: 16 Aug 2006
Posts: 245
Location: Oregon

PostPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 5:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I too am sad that she would chose to have her work removed from the site.

However, I would like to say, that the administrators of the site have handled this amazingly well. These types of things are never pleasant and you all have so many better things to do then sort through contests to pick out puzzles that can no longer remain.

I would like to express my gratitude for all of the work that you do here. This site has been a blessing to me in so many ways. The friends that I have made here will last a lifetime. Hopefully you all will be able to be done with this quickly and get back to the much more fun and important work of creating more vexing masterpieces of confusion for the rest of us.  Smile
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Franca
What a sweep of vanity comes this way


Joined: 11 Jan 2005
Posts: 894

PostPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 9:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is it maybe an idea to ask members of the Puzzletome-community who is willing to create some puzzle(s) that can fill up the gaps that are now left behind? Maybe with some joined efforts, we can make some contests 'fully loaded' again. PT has a lot of active members and I am sure a lot of them having own ideas for puzzles.

I do not know if this idea would cause you (admins) even more work or if it might help you. If it's not a good idea please say so. But this idea just came to mind, as I have some ideas for puzzles but never enough to make a complete contest. So maybe this is a good suggestion ???

Anyway, I'm offering my help if there is something I can do  Smile

Regards, Franca
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