tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu May 04 05:07:31 2006

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Re: Hamlet

Lady K'Lyssia ([email protected]) [KLI Member] 


>
> Alan Anderson <[email protected]> wrote:  ja' Voragh:
>
> > Andrey:
> >> Huh? The Klingon Language Institute is licensed by Paramount. What
> >> does that mean?
> >
> > I'm not sure of the details (ask Lawrence), but I imagine that it's
> > official permission to publish and sell Star Trek related items.
>
> One of the details is apparently that the details are not to be made
> public. :-/
>
> I do know that the KLI's mission of study and use and promotion of
> the Klingon language is explicitly approved, including the production
> (and sale) of material written in Klingon. The sale of non-
> educational and non-literary material is not explicitly approved (the
> corporate lawyers objected to the Hamlet {taH pagh taHbe'} t-shirt
> from qep'a' wejDIch being made available for purchase).
>
> -- ghunchu'wI'
>
>
>
> Aye, and i'd say the KLI would be in danger if we tick of paramount too 
> much. To me, copywriting klingon is like copywriting C++ or visual basic 
> code.... You can't copywrite C++ or visual basic code, but why can you 
> copywrite klingon?
>

I'm not sure if they have the language copyrighted - however, they have 
TRADEMARKED everything that is uniquely related to the Star Trek Universe 
and Trademark law is stricter than copyright law in many instances.

Comparing a programming language to a language created for a media product 
isn't the same thing. If the programer(s) who developed C++ or Basic or even 
Fortran didn't want it available to be used by anyone writing computer 
programs then what would be the point? If it can't be used then it is no 
good - unless you have the marketing resources to make sure everyone has to 
have your product and are able to make sure it put on at least 90% of all 
computers so people have to buy from you (Microsoft) then it won't be used 
by anyone. BTW: For years, companies that wanted to write programs that were 
Windows compatible had to pay a licensing fee to Microsoft because of the 
copyrights and trademarks that are in place there.

However the Klingon language was developed solely for the Trek Universe - it 
is not something that must be used for other things to work (like a 
programming language) - that allows the rights holders (paramount) more 
control.

Think of it this way - would you want anyone in the world to be able to use 
your property in any manner they wanted to without being able to have any 
say in the matter - some people might use it a way you have no real 
objections to - but others may destroy it - since you didn't object to one 
persons use (none of them asked your permission) - you can no longer object 
to the person who destroyed either. With real property this is easier to 
grasp and understand for most people - however, the same rules apply to 
INTELLECTUAL property and that is what we are talking about here - 
intellectual property.

I don't know anything about the contract between Okrand and Paramount - 
however, in most work-for-hire contracts whatever you develop becomes the 
property of the person hiring you to do the work (you sign over all rights).

Until fans cross certain boundaries - such as mass selling products or doing 
things that may damage Paramount's legal standing in regards to their 
Trademarks they have actually left us alone.

The fact a agreement exists that allows the KLI to exist shows they are 
willing to allow organizations that will promote Star Trek in a way that is 
favorable to the Star Trek Universe.

Just my 2 Strips of Latinum Worth

Carol Hightshoe
www.carolhightshoe.com

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