Date:         Fri, 18 May 2001 15:13:47 -0400
Reply-To:     Isaac Taylor <irtaylor@fas.harvard.edu>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Isaac Taylor <irtaylor@fas.harvard.edu>
Subject:      Vagaon Magazine | Publishing Your Posts?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hi all.

A number of you have responded to my earlier posts about getting a magazine or
newsletter going, based on (in part) the material generated here on the
listserv. I'd like to continue the discussion, and hear what folks have to say
about the idea of publishing content (viz ideas, advice, techniques,
descriptions, opinions) from this list in another medium. Would people be upset
or offended to see their words and ideas re-used, or edited in a magazine.
There's a lot of interesting content in the archives of this list, and while I
could certainly try to contact the original posters and get their permissions,
I'm interested to hear some opinions from long-standing, and/or active
listmembers about whether this is... thin ice I am treading upon.

I'm not so much interested in the getting into the legal issues involved
(unless we've experts in the audience), so much as I am concerned not rock the
boat, and piss people off, as it were.  For instance, if you spent a half-hour
putting together a nice post on how to add an extra battery, or upgrade
headlight wiring (or some such), and I found that post in the archive, edited
it for clarity and style, and re-published it on paper, what would your
reaction be upon finding your ideas, your experiences and words, in print
elsewhere.

This issue came up a while back when a guy over at one of the rec.humor subsets
published a compendium of jokes that had been floating usenet.  Some people
were happy to see their humor reaching a larger audience (the book was sold in
stores), and others felt ill-used in various ways.  I guess it's the community
voice I'm looking for here, so if you've got thoughts on the subject, please
speak up.

Best - Isaac Taylor
Cambridge, Mass.