Did you KNOW Ray and Cynthia or the legal copyright holder? Only a few maybe had limited contact.

by blondie 77 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  blondie

  I have known all of them over the last 15 years, talked at length with them, and knew what their wishes were, The copyright holder and spouse spent even more time with them socially and helping them set up their arrangements for when Ray and Cynthia passed. I don't believe that anyone else on this board or others was a confidant. There is no need to prove it to anyone but the Copyright office which is satisfied with this. Yes, it can take many months to settle this in that office.

  These books were the product of Ray and his personal property; passed on to his wife; and then the legal copyright holder. As ex-jws it is embarrassing seeing people here argue like this over someone's personal property. If Ray and Cynthia had blood relations handling this is would be no more valid legally.

  I trust the Dykstras know what Ray and Cynthia wanted way more than anyone else on this board including me. Why prove the WTS true that ex-jws are just selfish people putting themselves above the rights of people like Ray and Cynthia. There are many other fine books exposing the lies of the WTS. Ray never felt that his book was the be all and end all.

  Blondie
• 

  OUTLAW

  As ex-jws it is embarrassing seeing people here argue like this over someone's personal property.

  I trust the Dykstras know what Ray and Cynthia wanted way more than anyone else on this board including me.....Blondie

  ......................................
• 

  Simon

  hear hear

  It seems some are so keen to promote the idea that there is some doubt about Ray's wishes, who should own the copyright, whether copyright is even a valid thing, whether it should still apply and so on and so on.

  Anything at any point to justify why they shouldn't have to pay for something or why someone else stealing something hasn't "really" done anything wrong. That's what it boils down to - people trying to excuse wrong actions.
• 

  steve2

  Thanks Blondie. I can only agree with your comments. A recurrent theme coming through some of the threads on this topic were questions about what Ray's wishes were for his books. I know I asked on a couple of occasions in the recent past - and no clear answers were forthcoming at that time (or at least when I last looked there weren't any).

  Your OP covers this thoroughly. I have always felt incredibly uncomfortable with the notion that the book is available in pdf form on many sites so why make a fuss? The books were Ray's property passed on the Cynthia and then the Dykstras. All else is detail. Thanks again.
• 

  sparrowdown

  I would like to agree with your comment re other great books.

  Maybe we should compile a list of books to "wake up" by.
• 

  Marvin Shilmer

  Blondie, I never had a chance to get to know the Dykstras but I knew Ray, and Cynthia to a lesser extent. What you say is true and I second everything else you said. For sure I know this. Ray and Cynthia held the Dykstras in very high regard and trusted them basically with their lives. That's enough for me. Frankly, if the Dykstras made a ton of money off COC I'd feel just fine about it. But I know that's not what they're in this for.
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  blondie

  Yes, that would be a good topic for a new thread, that is a list of other books to wake up by.
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  clearpoison

  From Copyright Point of view this is quite straight forward, CoC has copyright protection 70 years following Rays death. If there is no Family alive that could have inherited the rights, then it is in hands of some copyright organisation. Publisher might also have bought the full rights to this literature work at some point, their right would be exactly the same, 70 years from Rays death. The 70 year period starts from 1st of January 2011.

  CP
  
• 

  elderINewton

  I think that the whole thing was blown out of proportion, and likely all the information was not given or available. Those that didn't like the copyright, just wanted the damn book. Pure and simple, its availability was the issue not the actual copyright.

  People should have been selling the freaking ebook for the last 5 years or so. So the person at that time made a bad business decision that likely cost them $$. That is the real essence of the problem, and people just need to come clean and admit that. That is what got lost in the debate.

  The copyright was and is valid, and sure some want it out free because it wakes up people, etc... But I know for me I wanted to either buy the damn copyright or have it put in the public domain so you could actually get a legal copy. Its a supply issue not a copyright issue.

  Then if its a demand issue, its a business decision to print or not.
  
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  Simon

  As already explained on multiple threads - the pirating of the books impacted the legitimate publishing of it. Blame the thieves for it not being available but please do not suggest they are doing a service !

  No one wants to have a garage full of books and it costs money to do print runs. Ray was an old man at the end of his days and likely wasn't as well up on electronic publishing (esp if you go back 10 years or so).