Cease & Desist from the CAOT
You will now find that my diagrams for CMOP and OPPM have been removed with request from CAOT (see here for original post). Shame. Doesn't make much sense to me to be honest since a)I have never gained any profit from it (and never intend to) and b) it only advertises the CAOT published work (and quite clearly cites it). Perhaps in future non-profit publishers that are providing content for the greater good of the (largley non-profit) profession should perhaps think about publishing content under a more open licence (e.g. creative commons).
For your pleasure find below the email and a public response:
On 11/12/06, meta-ot <********@caot.ca> wrote:
> ************* sent a message using the contact
> form at http://metaot.com/contact.
>
> Please remove immediately the CMOP and OPPM figures from your website. You
> are violating our copyright by having them available on your website. If
> you have any questions just contact me.
>
> Canadian Association of Occupationla Therapists
>No problem.
Apologies for the upset this may have caused. I stupidly figured that if it was cited then it would be the same as with literature (i.e. it is legal to read an encyclopaedia article or other work, reformulate the concepts in your own words, and publish it) but I understand it gets into hazy territory regarding what would be defined as "fair use". Personally I would suggest it does fall under the "fair use" guidelines since the work is a) strictly for educational and research usage and b) it is all non-profit (Note that the article is inherently advertising the work of CAOT, it actually costs ME to host and produce the site with NO income). Note that violations of the term "fair use" often occur when the use is motivated primarily by a desire for commercial gain.
Saying this I'm no lawyer and at the end of the day I don't want to upset anyone :)
I personally love the work of CAOT and the diagrams produced to describe the models. Its just a shame images and infact text don't exist with a creative commons licence instead of the wholly restrictive copyright licence.
Canadian Association shortsightedness
Hi Will
When I first read this comment from the Association I was gobsmacked to say the least! The people who made the comments clearly don't understand the value of the web in distributing the knowledge that they hold! I can't see the difference between say you using their diagram in an article which then goes into a journal, which is then available online and in a library that someone can then come in and pick up, like, copy and use likewise - all the time citing the authors???????? Sorry thats a long sentence but it is the process! Certainly Creative Commons Licensing is something our profession should be grappling with now.... and using! More therapists and more cline/sconsumers would bbe exposed to our thinking if we made more available online. As my husband often says - you OT's don't market yourself well. Everyone knows what a physio does - why not OT'?
Merrolee