Re: The debate on Invariant sections (long)

[Matthew Garrett <mgarrett@chiark.greenend.org.uk>]

Richard Stallman wrote:

>But that the issue is a moot point, because a reference card would use
>so little of the text of the manual that it would be fair use.  In
>fact, the very idea that a reference card is derived from the manual
>in copyright terms seems like an unrealistic idea.

UK copyright law includes no fair use provisions. I would be surprised
if it's the only part of the world for which this is the case. The
conceptually similar fair dealing provisions are significantly more
limited than fair use, and the act of producing a reference card from a
manual could only fall under them for educational establishments.

I am insufficiently aware of the philosophical basis for the existence
of fair use in US copyright law to know where else might be affected -
does the rest of Europe have general fair use provisions?
-- 
Matthew Garrett | mjg59-chiark.mail.debian.legal@srcf.ucam.org