It seems that 'free' downloads of Heathkit manuals are no longer available! Copyright issues.

[Tom in N Texas]

Folks,

I saw this happen about twenty years ago with John Deere antique tractor 
manuals (actually all John Deere manuals).

Apparently, John Deere decided that manuals should be a good profit line. 
They would send "cease and desist" letters/e-mails to people who offered 
manual copies for sale, no matter how old the manuals were. I don't think 
anybody is likely to fight them.

John Deere raised the prices of their manuals a bunch.

Tom Dulin
------------------------------------------
At 12:01 PM 12/13/08 , you wrote:
>I am not a lawyer and I don't have any real knowledge of legal stuff.
>
>but that being said, it seems to me that copyrights and even patents
>expire.
>
>does anyone really own the rights to a manual that is 40+ years old?
>especially since it has been in the public domain for so long. Yes, I
>know heathkit still owns (did own) the right to their own stuff, but
>has never in all mine time, never raised a finger to protect it's
>copyright.
>
>mike
>
>Mike, WB8VGE
>SunLight Energy Systems
>The Heathkit Shop
>http://www.theheathkitshop.com/
>J e e p
>o|||||||o
>
>A man with one clock knows what time it is. A man with two clocks is
>never sure.
>
>
>
>
>On Dec 13, 2008, at 10:16 AM, Robert Groh wrote:
>
>Ladies and gentleman, it looks like our access to copies of Heathkit
>manuals has come up to a thundering halt. I first noticed something
>amiss when I tried to find a Heathkit manual on BAMA and, strange to
>note, there was no 'Heath' in the index!  And no contents on the one
>old link I had to a manual.  "Very strange", thought I, "maybe the site
>is busted".
>
>Then, just a couple of minutes ago, I saw an email on another forum a
>Heathkit manual and directions to go to the Tech Systems site and there
>is where I found the following notice:
>
>"On October 30, 2008, Data Professionals of Pleasanton, CA purchased
>the Intellectual property of the Heathkit legacy products from Heathkit
>in Benton Harbor, Michigan.  This rights to these legacy products also
>includes the copyright. All free manuals have been removed from this
>site in compliance with copyright laws. "
>
>So no downloads on the Tech Systems site and that is probably what
>happened on the BAMA site also. Super bummer! And I imagine this will
>impact the manual copying business also. Haven't checked any of the
>manual vendors.
>
>73 (in grief and sorrow)
>Bob, WA2CKY
>
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Jim teaches the art of flying in the old style at low level using ground
references, energy management turns, ground effect on all takeoffs,
the brisk walk apparent rate of closure approach, and "out the window"
navigation.

"Contact Flying", Jim Dulin CFI, Lulu Press, www.lulu.com

-----------------------------------------------------------
Products bought, sold or traded here is the responsibility of the
parties involved.  This list and the City of Tempe are not responsible
for losses or misrepresentations of any kind.  Buyer beware!

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This list is a public service of the City of Tempe, Arizona
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