Is there an online NFHS rule book?

[Oz Referee]

Originally posted by BktBallRef

You realize that you'll be violating copyright laws. The nf has been very active in pursuing those who post their rules on the Internet.

Well, since I'm not charging for it, plus my site is only relatively small (about 300 hits a month) and the fact that I am in Australia, I don't think that the NCAA will bother pursuing me.

Besides, I am really suprised that they don't provide an online copy themselves, lets face it, it would be cheaper to buy the rule book than to download and print the pdf version, so what are they worried about?

[Mark Dexter]

You'd be shocked. Smaller companies (than the NCAA) have (sucessfully) sued smaller websites for smaller usages of copyrighted materials.

U.S. Copyright Law is fairly straightforward - except for fair use exceptions (which allow us to cite rule references in discussions here), you cannot simply someone else's materials without permission - even if said material is freely available somewhere else.

As an example, if I create an image for my website (not even a logo), and you post it on yours, you have infringed my copyright.

[Oz Referee]

I realise the laws, but I doubt that the NCAA would actively pursue me. As well, there is the complication of me being located in Australia, and our copyright laws regarding the internet are fairly lax compared to the USA. I'm not sure under whose laws I could be prosecuted, assuming they wanted to go to the effort.

Basically I'm willing to cross that bridge when I get to it.

[Mark Dexter]

Originally posted by Oz Referee
I realise the laws, but I doubt that the NCAA would actively pursue me. As well, there is the complication of me being located in Australia, and our copyright laws regarding the internet are fairly lax compared to the USA. I'm not sure under whose laws I could be prosecuted, assuming they wanted to go to the effort.

Basically I'm willing to cross that bridge when I get to it.

I'm no lawyer (thank God), but I do believe that anything published under U.S. Copyright law is equally protected in any country with which the United States has a treaty. (Shuddering from the bad grammar . . .) I would assume that the US and Austrailia have signed said treaties.

[Brad]

Originally posted by Oz Referee
I realise the laws, but I doubt that the NCAA would actively pursue me.

I don't think that the NCAA would have a problem with you posting the PDF file on your website. It's basically a public document since they have put it on their website. However, their lawyers might disagree and insist that you link to it.

However, you definitely should NOT publish anything on your website that has not been published electronically for free over the Internet (i.e. NFHS rulebooks).

As well, there is the complication of me being located in Australia, and our copyright laws regarding the internet are fairly lax compared to the USA. I'm not sure under whose laws I could be prosecuted, assuming they wanted to go to the effort.

Well, actually since your site is hosted by Geocities, they would probably simply contact them. Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act if an ISP reacts to remove copyrighted material they cannot be held liable, so you can be assured that your site would be pulled pronto.

Just wanted to give you a heads up...

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by Oz Referee
Besides, I am really suprised that they don't provide an online copy themselves, lets face it, it would be cheaper to buy the rule book than to download and print the pdf version, so what are they worried about?

They do provide an online copy. It's the same one that you've copied and pasted on your site.

I can download it for nothing and print it on 142 sheets of paper for a buck. It cost $12 for the book and shipping. How is buying the rulebook cheaper than that?

[Oz Referee]

Originally posted by BktBallRef

They do provide an online copy. It's the same one that you've copied and pasted on your site.

I can download it for nothing and print it on 142 sheets of paper for a buck. It cost $12 for the book and shipping. How is buying the rulebook cheaper than that?

You can download and print 142 sheets for $1?? What about the cost of your internet connection, the paper, wear and tear on the printer, and of course, your time?

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by Oz Referee
I can download it for nothing and print it on 142 sheets of paper for a buck. It cost $12 for the book and shipping. How is buying the rulebook cheaper than that?

You can download and print 142 sheets for $1?? What about the cost of your internet connection, the paper, wear and tear on the printer, and of course, your time? [/B][/QUOTE]

Yes. I can buy a ream of paper for $3. I'm going to have an Internet connection and a printer whether I download the NCAA rulebook or not.

Time? I have a cable connection. I can download it a 5MB file in less than a minute and print it in less than 10 minutes. That's less time that it would take me to fill an order form from the NCAA, write a check, take it to the post office and mail it. Then I've got to wait a week and a half to receive it.

10 minutes vs 10 days. $1.00 vs. $12.29. Yeah, I see your point.

Is that Australian logic?

[Brad]

Originally posted by BktBallRef
Yes. I can buy a ream of paper for $3.

The paper is not your only cost. If your total cost to print 142 pages is about $1, you should start a printing shop!

The convenience of the book far outweighs downloading and printing, IMHO. Why print on 8 1/2 x 11 pages, which are a pain to carry around, etc., when you can have a nice small book for $10?

BTW, you can order the books online -- that should take you less than a minute...

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by Brad

The paper is not your only cost. If your total cost to print 142 pages is about $1, you should start a printing shop!

With the ink, it might cost a buck fifty. But no more.

The convenience of the book far outweighs downloading and printing, IMHO. Why print on 8 1/2 x 11 pages, which are a pain to carry around, etc., when you can have a nice small book for $10?

BTW, you can order the books online -- that should take you less than a minute...

That wasn't the point of our discussion. OZ made the remark that, "...it would be cheaper to buy the rule book than to download and print the pdf version, so what are they worried about?" My point was that I can indeed print the online version cheaper and have it faster than ordering one from the NCAA.

Quite frankly, I have no need for an NCAA rulebook. If I want to reference something, I just look at their web version. But I don't work those rules, so no need to buy.

[Oz Referee]

Originally posted by BktBallRef

With the ink, it might cost a buck fifty. But no more.

That wasn't the point of our discussion. OZ made the remark that, "...it would be cheaper to buy the rule book than to download and print the pdf version, so what are they worried about?" My point was that I can indeed print the online version cheaper and have it faster than ordering one from the NCAA.

Quite frankly, I have no need for an NCAA rulebook. If I want to reference something, I just look at their web version. But I don't work those rules, so no need to buy.

And that is the service that I am trying to provide - it is not my intention to encourage people to download and print the rulebook, rather than purchase it, instead I just want to provide one place that referees can access ALL rule books.

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by Oz Referee
And that is the service that I am trying to provide - it is not my intention to encourage people to download and print the rulebook, rather than purchase it, instead I just want to provide one place that referees can access ALL rule books.

That's fine. But the legal thing to do would be to provide a link. What does it matter to you if the link opens a page on your website or another website? Just change the link to the NCAA site. No one will know the difference, you won't be breaking the law, and you will be providing the access that you want to.

Or be hard-headed and do it your way!