Messages

451

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Statute of Limitations Copyright Law

« on: January 25, 2012, 04:17:01 PM »

From now on ... I will refer to Masterfile as "MF"

I usually refer to Masterfile as "MF" too. And I think of the people that work for them as "MF-ers."

452

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Another Aldrich Law Firm Letter

« on: January 22, 2012, 02:53:38 AM »

The best first step is to read these forums. Also watch some of the videos that Matt puts up. And then search on here for your stock agency's name and read all of those threads.

453

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Masterfiles 3rd suit for 2012

« on: January 21, 2012, 10:42:21 PM »

It would be hilarious if he had a license for these images, either from the creator or a template company. If he does, he could collect on his court costs once the judge decides in his favor.

454

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: List of Public Domain stock footage companies

« on: January 19, 2012, 01:50:13 PM »

Here's a list of 12 public domain stock sites. Many of these have been mentioned, but some have not.

http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/web/12-best-places-to-get-free-images-for-your-site-624818

Also check the comments and there are some other sites that offer stock images. One that caught my eye was http://www.photl.com. The images there are free for non-commercial use. But they only cost a buck for commercial use and are available in very high resolution. And some of there stuff looks as good as what I see on GI or MF.

As always, I suggest keeping track of where you source your images from.

455

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Beat the Getty Images Extortion Letter: Special Report!

« on: January 18, 2012, 11:37:32 PM »

A buddy of mine has been going on about e-book publishing. Seems like with the lower price of tablets like the Kindle, there is a demand for affordable books and/or books on a very narrow topic. This is a great idea.

456

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Masterfile & Arius3d acquisition closing date extended, Arius3D pays MF 450k

« on: January 18, 2012, 07:01:17 PM »

This was a little challenging considering Wikipedia is blacked out now, but I would love to find the connections among the owners of the three entities in this triangle.

Me too. And that is the tough part. But it's funny when you start pairing up the names of members of Board of Directors what you sometimes discover.

457

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Masterfile letter to a former client

« on: January 18, 2012, 01:49:16 PM »

First, I'm not a lawyer, so take that into account.

Legally I think you are in the clear. The web development was done through the now-defunct LIMITED Liability Corporation. However morally I think you owe it to your former client to try and help him out. You could point out to the lawyer that, although you are not under any obligation to do so, you want to help out. Point him to this site even.

If the client has an agreement from the former LLC that grants them rights to the image, and said LLC had the rights to use the image but is now defunct, the very best MF can hope for is that your client remove the image as a courtesy.

Anyone can sue anybody for anything, but if this is the case I don't think MF will prevail. 

458

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Masterfile & Arius3d acquisition closing date extended, Arius3D pays MF 450k

« on: January 18, 2012, 01:01:29 PM »

Arius 3D is now trading at 3.5¢ per share and has a market cap of $4.23M. I do not believe they have any chance of acquiring Masterfile. In fact, as I stated earlier, it is my personal opinion that this deal was cooked up to suck whatever cash is on hand out of Arius, transfer it to MF and then have Arius file for bankruptcy. This is all conjecture on my part, but I encourage you to watch it play out.

Also, if I lived in Canada and received a demand letter from MF, I'd probably be trying to fill in the rest of the details on this scam business deal and put some information together for the Canadian equivalent of the Securities and Exchange commission.

'Course this is just what I would do and this is just my opinion.

459

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Resolution of Getty v. Advernet (A blow to Getty & Stock photo companies)

« on: January 17, 2012, 12:39:53 PM »

Khan -- you bring up a good point. They don't know the photographer. At least if my experience with Getty's microstock company istockphoto is an indicator. The photographer is asked to digitally sign an agreement that they are the owner of the copyright to the image they are selling and they have to provide a bunch of contact information. But I do not believe they even asked if what I submitted was REGISTERED.

Perhaps they would contact the photographer before launching these lawsuit threats. But considering how shoddy all the other paperwork seems to be, I somehow doubt it.

460

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: I found a copyright infringement!

« on: January 15, 2012, 08:57:06 PM »

Ironic that someone could be so HEART-less in pursuing a copyright infringement, but then feel no compunctions about appropriating another's image. Barracuda indeed.

461

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Masterfile starts it round of 2012 Lawsuits

« on: January 14, 2012, 11:08:01 PM »

...
So, they must send this as proof of registration for all their cases.  It is a compilation and if I am reading it right, contains 33,000 images registered at one time. 
...

Here they have a span of 3417 numbers for images registered.  The artists list is almost identical to the 1999 registration list I have.  I wonder how many of those image numbers have no image attached to them either.  Maybe I am missing something here....or just don't understand the registration process.

Maybe they don't use consecutive numbers? So number starting with "3" are animals and "4" are vehicles?

Oh I see what you are saying Bekka. Did they just HAPPEN to register exactly 33000 images, or do they register slots for 33000 images and send in a corrupt CD and fill in the images as needed?

Wow. That's an awfully big conspiracy. But like you said, How is it that they registered such a nice even number of images.

462

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Masterfile starts it round of 2012 Lawsuits

« on: January 14, 2012, 11:00:02 PM »

FWIW, VisualPhotos.com is registered in Tel Aviv, Israel.

463

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Masterfile starts it round of 2012 Lawsuits

« on: January 14, 2012, 10:50:13 PM »

I was thinking the same DF. I also see it is "rights managed." I do wonder what it would cost to license from them for a couple of years.

464

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Masterfile starts it round of 2012 Lawsuits

« on: January 14, 2012, 10:43:55 PM »

Wait, it's over one image and it was registered in a collection? And they are asking for $30,000? They'll be lucky to get $300. And if the defendant has already offered them that, the judge can then have MF pay the defendant's legal fees.

MF appears to be on the crazytown express. I predict this will get settled.

465

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Masterfile starts it round of 2012 Lawsuits

« on: January 14, 2012, 08:43:05 PM »

Here is the same image offered by another company. In fact this second company claims copyright over the image.

http://www.visualphotos.com/image/1x4185767/portrait_of_cat_and_dog