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Posting Articles in a Thread
Posts: 3477
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Karma: 163
This has really gotten out of hand lately and I think there should be a more hardline policy on this. Many other large message boards do not condone copying and pasting articles into posts for two reasons:
1) Threads a easier to read when people just post links to articles instead of an unformatted jumble of non-paragraphs and dead links. You can't tell me that anybody actually wants to read that shit.
2) Copying and pasting articles into posts often violates copyright laws. You are distributing someone else's work without their permission, that is illegal. One could argue pasting an article is within Fair Use. However, Fair Use of someone else's text is not a legal protection, it is only defensible position. Now its unlikely anyone would take legal action for such a violation, but its best to be safe in case an extreme example arises.
Posts: 16253
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Karma: 538
Agree on some points, disagree with others.
If someone posts a copy of an article with good formatting and it reads well, and the source it was obtained from is cited and posted within the post, it is permissable in my opinion.
Same with the legality of copyright laws. As long as the source is cited and the information was obtained from a free source, the information is fair game.
So as long as you aren't reposting articles from a pay-site, or playing off articles as your own and not giving credit where credit is due, it's fine.
Posts: 22441
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Karma: 2,806
It can be really annoying because it doesn't always copy and paste correctly. It's irritating to read. It would be much easier to just post the link.
Posts: 16253
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Karma: 538
Playing Devils Advocate, sometimes, some of us are in locations where we cannot access the article that is linked to.
I still say that as long as the copy/paste reads well, and formats properly in the post, and all sources cited and a link provided to the article at the beginning or end of the post, then it is fine.
Posts: 11149
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Karma: 1,416
I've been erasing any dead links before the post so that I make sure it isn't a jumble of text and such. I make sure it's printed exactly the same way w/out the advertisements. I place the citation before the article in case people want to read it on the actual site itself.
It works...I don't think there's a problem with it.
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