Geoffrey Beal of Masterfile Tries to Suppress Information on ELI

[Matthew Chan]

Off with your head then.  And you will be docked one week's pay for disagreeing with us.  :-)

Actually, if you read my last paragraph, I did see the merits of his approach. It can be a tough call when to continue responding or when to stay quiet.

Believe me when I say my self-control is being tested on another front. I am desperately trying to behave myself.

I have to say I don't agree with you guys. Dieselfish found some rather damaging information – another entity claimed copyright to the image prior to MF contacting him. The fact that there is more than one copyright claimant out there makes the issue fuzzy. If the copyright claim was before the MF filing, that pretty much blows up the case.

Then he simply closed the issue. MF certainly can decide to "re-open" the issue at any time. But clearly if they continue to pester him after this, MF could be held for any of his legal costs.

I would say there is a 50-50 chance of them contacting him again.

[dieselfish]

Maybe it was ill advised to respond. But it was something I felt I had to do - a calculated risk. I have never been one to back down from a fight - especially an unfair one.  If this claim were to ever make it to court (which I find highly unlikely at this point), I wanted it to be shown that I responded.

Yes. Maybe I'll have awakened a sleeping giant by firing a shot across their bow - but it was something I felt I had to do to get the ball out of my court. It's in their hands now. I have at least put their claim of "exclusive copyright" into question.  If they do decide to "re-open" this claim, they are going to have to provide absolutely bulletproof evidence of their "exclusive copyright".  Point is, the ball is in their court and they'll have to do some work and incur further expense and potential bad press if they want to continue.  It is clear that this would not be a precedent setting case for them.  If it did go before the courts, yes, they might win - but I'm sure that they would end up in the red.

I do hope they decide to let this rest as I do have a few more rounds of ammunition in my pocket.  As it is clear that Geoffrey Beal and Masterfile monitor this forum, I can't reveal them here.  But let's just say that if all of the facts come out, Geoffrey Beal wouldn't look so good and Masterfile could potentially find itself at the wrong end of an embarrassing PR campaign.

Only problem now is that with the ball in their court, they still have the upper hand in terms of psychological warfare.  I now have to wait (potentially for the next three years) to see if that next letter will come.  Let's hope that they either drop the claim or do something soon - because the waiting is going to make me ANGRY.
 

     

[Matthew Chan]

Psychological warfare comes in many form.  It is often called "calling someone's bluff" or "playing chicken". There are many, many other tools to use to get your way but you have to have the stomach and will to use them.

Maybe I have been with this issue too long. My patience on several issues has grown shorter with time.  It sometimes gets to the point of where I shoot first and ask questions later.

If I were you, I would go have a relaxing weekend. Masterfile used to get a free ride here on ELI but now they are being scrutinized much more closely. There are lots of eyes watching them.

Only problem now is that with the ball in their court, they still have the upper hand in terms of psychological warfare.  I now have to wait (potentially for the next three years) to see if that next letter will come.  Let's hope that they either drop the claim or do something soon - because the waiting is going to make me ANGRY.
   

[dieselfish]

I were you, I would go have a relaxing weekend.

Thanks Matthew - I plan on doing just that. 

And I suppose that I should formally state for the record, lest the words in my previous post be misinterpreted, I am speaking only metaphorically.  Any "rounds of ammunition" that I have strictly refer to evidence in my case that I have not yet revealed.  All I need is for some overzealous lawyer to try to deny our freedom of speech as well.   

[Matthew Chan]

Tell me about it. We have had more than one lawyer get bent out of shape because of the euphemisms we use and their crying defamation.  Supposedly educated and informed lawyers are getting their feelings hurt with great frequency here. And then they send us a time-sucking nasty-gram.

And I suppose that I should formally state for the record, lest the words in my previous post be misinterpreted, I am speaking only metaphorically.  Any "rounds of ammunition" that I have strictly refer to evidence in my case that I have not yet revealed.  All I need is for some overzealous lawyer to try to deny our freedom of speech as well.