Copyrighted Materials

Good thought

Great thought.  I love Reading everything here.  And it is fun to see so many ways people are building their business. 

Juanita Waterman

Right on man...

Robert, great words man!  My sentiments exactly.  I am getting a bit sick and tired of seeing folks post others stuff here on BN.com and try to claim it as there own.  The purpose?  Just so they can add their little signature with their links to their websites.  And then they do it over and ove again... 

Don't they know the tool called copyscape.com where others can easily find out if the copy is just plagirised from elsewhere?

It really devalues BetterNetworker.com. 

I think this deserves a send to the BN Results group :)

Cheers!

Raymond

BN Results Group

Thanks for the reply Raymond. By the way, that's my brothers name. Anyway, how do I send the article to the BN Results Group? In addition, just another thought, I think the reason people don't offer more unique and creative content is because it takes hard work, time, effort, and creativity. Most people...the common ones...don't want to take the effort. So, they "copy & paste" in the name of "HEY, I've Got Something to Say." Sorry, I'm back on the soap box. Fortunately, there are winners out there like yourself, myself, and the obvious others. The surest evidence is that they help people succeed, without the greed.
Thanks again for the reply. Hopefully we can converse again. I'd love to learn from you. As an ordained minister, I'm new to the online business arena.

Bryan Anthony

Dead On!

Great post Robert.

I'll be spreading this around to some folks, because everyone needs to read this.

-Ferny

Copyright

Thanks! Sorry if I came across too harsh with the article. I've dealt with copyrights for 22 yrs. now. I just know that everyone in the BN family can be a winner. Part of that is being honest and giving credit to those who deserve it. If I EVER use something from your writings, even if it's paraphrased, I'm giving you credit my friend.

Bryan Anthony

Wow

Now if thats not informational I don't know what is. It can't be spelled out any clearer than that. Its a people business and to me its all about being honest with people. How you carry yourself online is the same as how you should carry yourself offline. To me those three things, respect, honor, and integrity is how one should live their life. Good..or rather..Great Post my friend! Great post indeed:-)

Its All About Knowledge and Integrity

I think this was and is a great article and great conversation. The only issue is the only people who respond are the people who know better. We reside in a world where people do not think they need to have an education to market or to do business. Some people think they should treat their online marketing like a no-nonsense project. We have moved real fast to the Internet and we can clearly see with an illuminating light what people were doing offline and now they are doing it online.

Most of these errors particularly copyright errors and mistakes mostly are a direct correlation of a pure lack of knowledge or a pure blatant act of downright stealing others folks content. I think as we cross paths and sponsor people we need to be in the busiess of teaching ethics and good business practices. Also, when we see things that are not filled with integrity we should kindly tap our fellow members on the hand and show them our "cyber cop" badge. Have an awesome day!

I Second That!

Thanks Rhonda for the input. I really like that you said, "I think as we cross paths and sponsor people we need to be in the busiess of teaching ethics and good business practices." You have insight about business practices that most don't really get. I believe in this: "For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." Proverbs 23:7 (From New American Standard Bible; Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.)

It may be fair to argue that if: (1) one thinks honestly, they provide honesty, (2) one thinks discipline, they show discipline, (3) one thinks with integrity, they possess integrity, (4) and if one thinks about love from the heart, they live out love! However, this isn't always the case. All of these characteristics of a person, honesty, discipline, integrity, and love, come from an attitude of CHOICE! That's right! Choice! Out of a PURE and healthy heart comes the CHOICE to possess the characteristics I've mentioned. people have the make a conscience effort to choose to be honest, etc. Otherwise, fear, rejection, lust, and greed will take over like maggots on a carcass. Not a good thing!

Challenge to ALL the BN Community: Let's keep each other accountable in our business and online practices. OK? Let's hold each other up to succeed in truth and in deed. Let's not become another "Wallstreet" news flash!

To All of Your Successes

Great article!

I think what you said hits the nail on the head. A few weeks ago I got a newsletter from one of the Better Networkers members that I am subscribed to.  The newsletter told a great story and had a really good point to get across. 

A few days later I was on this site and I saw almost the EXACT same letter in the form of an article- but not by the original person. This guy even used the same examples in the article.

It was amazing!  I went back to make a comment on it but couldn't find it again- I am hoping that someone else caught the same thing.

Thanks for pointing out what everyone needs to pay attention to!

To your success,

Jen

Be Original

Robert -

I'm glad that you addressed this issue in such a straightforward and honest manner.  I believe you are exactly right in pointing out the fact of blatant disregard that so many individuals have for other people's work.  In fact, one of the most disappointing factors is that many people don't realize how much potential they have in sharing their own learned knowledge.

No two people or experiences are ever alike, exactly, therefore each person should be able to create a completely unique voice in their writings, videos, etc.  My hope is that people will learn to be original, rather than yielding to the thought that everyone else's work or thoughts are better than their own.  I hope that they will all learn to celebrate and appreciate their own gifts they've been given, be original and provide unique products of their own.

- RH

Kudos!

Robert, what you said about "Success is often built on the success & knowledge of others" is very true. But this does not give anyone the license to deliberately forget something that was taught back as early as middle school (in some cases, maybe even elementary school)...great post! 

By Any Other Name...

Important post Robert. It would make your head spin to know how many ideas and copyrighted works have been taken from me without any compensation, yet to mention any credit. People who use other peoples works, as if it were their own, eventually get caught with their hands in the cookie-jar, but usually after the damage is already done.

Visionaries who follow their dream and bliss from an idea to reality do so where others fear to tread. That's when the vultures come out, swooping down to claim, and capitalize on someone else’s hard work. They just can’t help themselves, usually because they will never have what it takes to do it on their own, and/or have little respect for the creative process. That's why it became necessary to create the copyright laws. Every creative person needs to protect their creativity from all the wannabes out there who blatantly capitalize on other peoples' hard works.

Absolutely!

It is simple, just give credit where it is due, always aknowledge the work of others and you have nothing to worry about.

I grew up with this ..... "Do to others as you would want them to do to you"..... and raised my children to do the same.... Living this way adds positive energy to your overall health.

I like that there is a high expectation for integrity here.

DrDeb ND

The Slippery Slope

Hey Robert,

Great post.  I completely agree with you, but I'm certain that some of these mistakes are made honestly.  I've been mentored by many of the greats in this industry....Mike Dillard, Ferny Ceballos, Raymond Fong, and others.  They've taught me well.  Sometimes I find myself saying things that came from them. 

Many networkers don't always know the orignators of some of our popular phrases.  For example, we all know who coined the term "You, Inc."  That was Mike Dillard.  But does anyone know who originally coined the term "Attraction Marketing?"

Something to think about.

Shecky
www.HealthyProceeds.com

Be Safe

It is enticing to read something on the web and give your own spin to it. If I understand intellectual property rights as it applies to the web, if you have syndication chicklets or buttons on your page, you are giving others the right to use your work. From a personal standpoint, I am always careful to attribute the author's idea even if I am not quoting his work.

However, when you download a pdf, that is an entirely different matter. You need to get the author's permission to incorporate his exact words, unless it is a review. Then you need to be careful not to use more than a phrase or two in quotes. Obviously, as part of the review you include the author's name, the title of the work, and generally the publication date. 

Excellent Thoughts

I'm learning copywriting at the moment and as a general lover of the written word, hold much respect for those who have written great content like Mike Dillard and others and will always give credit where credit is due. I think it shows such a lack of respect when others do this and believe that they are on top of their game. What a disgrace.

Honest Sayings

Jeff,
Thanks for the post. I do agree with you when you stated that, "many networkers don't always know the orignators of some of our popular phrases." This is true. Although, some research can eliminate such an argument. Most of the time using popular phrases are unavoidable. I do think that if someone states a phrase long enough or even thinks a certain way long enough (like lying to oneself), one can come to BELIEVE in what they say or think as theirs...somewhat of a "born" reality for him. Maybe they possibly succumb to some idea that their thoughts are theirs. Case in point: brainwashing! Not an enjoyable event. But people probably brainwash themselves about certain things. I don't have proof; but, I suppose that's how a drug addict looks at addictions.

The point here is that we can say certain phrases because we were taught the concepts and knowledge of such phrases. AND some things are just plain common sense. However, these phrases become an issue of integrity when a person KNOWS for a fact that they're quoting from someone without giving any credit.

Let me explain this way. It's fine for me to write the following sentence without giving credit.

"I shouldn't be afraid. This situation is not easy. However, I can get through this. With enough strength, I'll manage. Get your head together. God WILL help me make the right steps and decisions. I just know it! I need to have enough courage to ask Kerry to marry me!"

BUT, it's not fine if I write this sentence without credit.

Come on! I need "Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take."

Why is the first example ok but not the next? It's because the first is an actual synthesis (a lesson applied to life) of the second example, which is quoted from Joshua 1:9 (The Message). Do you see any difference?

Consequently people say things they obviously learned from their mentors, teachers, pastors, parents, coaches, etc. that find their way into articles, books, conversations, and such. This doesn't mean that these communications are exactly "copyright infringement" issues. This is merely a reflection of the nature of learning and teacher & student relationships.

Let's refer to the Attraction Marketing issue. No. I don't know who coined this phrase. It's been used so frequently that it's become a "house hold" phrase to marketers. Nonetheless, I do know that the Holy Bible, Budda, and great philosophers and theologians wrote about "attraction." On the other side of the coin, Marketing came by the minds of some infamous marketing giants like Peter Drucker, Dr. Philip Kotler (S.C. Johnson & Son Distinguished Professor of International Marketing at the Northwestern University Kellogg Graduate School of Management in Chicago), Edward Bernays, and the likes of those that teach us so much in the BN community (Thanks by the way guys and gals! Keep up the excellent work!).

What I think has happened is that the learned ideals of "Attraction" and "Marketing" basically have come together from years of creative thought persistence, and from common sense. The MIND is an extreme creation for humanity. No other being on earth has a mind like ours. God knew what he was doing when He made the brain. We just don't use it or exercise it enough. Unfortunately, some people just use other people's "brain creations" because they don't have it in themselves. What a tragedy!!

Thanks for letting me state my opinions. That's what's great about BN...a place to be yourself without the mask!

Something to think upon: "It's all about marketing psychology, which is not a bad thing. It's good, very good, to connect with people and build trust through marketing. That's what attraction marketing is all about - it's about the positive side of marketing psychology" (Stallcop, Teri, "SEO 20 20" Get Real! Marketing Psychology 101, Ezine Articles, from http://ezinearticles.com/?SEO-20-20-Get-Real!-Marketing-Psychology-101&id=1117559, Adapted by author from Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terri_Stallcop, accessed 11-9-08).

RE: Be Safe

You are right, Elaine. Thanks for the input.

Comment and Question

Hi there, Bryan; This post had some very good information in it, and the replies as well. I have a lot of trouble seeing where the line is when it comes to copywriting online, because my email accounts and constantly flooded with helpful information that I have inadvertantly opted into, and I'm finding that probably 4 out of every ten have the same lines, expressions and basically the same offers with just a different link at the end. It has left me with a fear of who to trust and who to look to to learn this stuff. I am also new, as you are, and have gone from excited and ambitious to weary, confused and exhausted trying to keep up with the flood of info, most of it "borrowed".

Best of everything to you!

Terri

Integrity

 Food for Thought:  "A life lived with integrity - even if it lacks the trappings of fame and fortune is a shinning star in whose light others may follow in the years to come."

Denis Waitley

---------------------------

Taken from: (MyDailyInsights; "AsAManThinketh.net"; accessed 11-13-08.) 

Could not stress this more!

Copyright protection has everything to do with integrity, honesty, and principles.

And as intelectual property thinly spreads as Internet usage becomes universal, there will be no possible regulation other than our own. As content developers, it is our responsabiilty to protect our assets.

Thank you for the post, Reverend.

Leonardo Saraceni