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Subject: Re: Unauthorized use of Rebel books

Author: Slater Wold

Date: 01:17:22 05/01/02

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On May 01, 2002 at 01:21:05, Michael Williams wrote:

>On April 30, 2002 at 16:01:33, Slater Wold wrote:
>
>>On April 30, 2002 at 14:42:50, Jeroen Noomen wrote:
>>
>>>During the last 6 - 12 months I have noticed a trend that there are very clear
>>>indications that non-commercial programmers of chess programs make use of (parts
>>>of) commercially available books. As I was in Maastricht during the WMCCC in
>>>2001, lots of speculations and complaints were heard about this topic.  From
>>>several sources I know that also the Rebel books have been ‘hacked’ by people (I
>>>will not mention their names, I am sure they know themselves whom I am talking
>>>about). As the Rebel books are my lifework I want to put a very clear statement
>>>in this forum.
>>>
>>>The Rebel books have been developped by me during a period of almost 14 years.
>>>Not only is it handmade, it also contains lots of stuff you will not find in
>>>other books. In the past it has happenend a few times that chess programs were
>>>caught as not being made by the programmer himself. Examples are Quick Step back
>>>in 1989, Greif, the several Crafty clones. As we can see from todays rules by
>>>the ICCA, such programs are not tolerated anymore. And in my view this is fully
>>>correct.
>>>
>>>Jeroen Noomen
>>>Bookauthor for Rebel and Chess Tiger
>>
>>I can understand your frustration.  You've worked just as hard as Ed or
>>Christophe on Rebel/Tiger.  No doubt your books add a considerable amount of Elo
>>to these programs, and I am sure Ed and Christophe are very appreciative of
>>that.
>>
>>However, I must warn you that laying claim to a series of chess opening moves is
>>not going to be easy to defend.  You cannot copyright moves in chess, as you
>>cannot copyright dance moves.  While you can copyright a mvs book, you are
>>actually only copyrighting the format.  Again, you cannot copyright chess moves.
>>
>>I think anyone found 'hacking' a chess program, or its book, should face a
>>severe punishment. Anyone claiming something is their, when in fact it is not,
>>should be punished.
>>
>>I am not defending these people, I am simply stating the fact that it would be
>>easier to encrypt the books, than to go after those stealing it.
>
>You should be able to copyright chess moves in a specific context just as you
>should be able to copyright musical notes in a specific arrangement, sequence
>and context.  Similar arguments exist for code.

Not at all.  You put musical notes together, and you have a song.  You cannot
copyright musical notes, only songs.  e4 e5 is not copyright protectable.
Sorry.

>The difficulty in defending a position does not affect the justifiability of
>defending a position.

Very true.  But there is a point where you say, "Is this worth it?"



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