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I have no *legal* opinion on whether this is violating copyright (I have a
personal opinion, but I'll let the more knowledgeable on the list respond),
however I think you have a moral dilemma as well. The problem is
exacerbated by your internal clients being lawyers, i.e., they should
know the law and should honor it. (We know that doesn't mean they will.)
I think you have to decide what YOU will do, regardless of what your clients do.
The "I was just following orders, sir!" defense is worthless. You don't
want to resort to that, and you certainly don't want to end up being a scapegoat
if things turn sour. I would express (in writing) to my supervisor my discomfort
at being put in a position of possibly violating copyright. Document EVERYTHING
about this situation: save these e-mail opinions, keep a personal journal of what
you had to copy, when, on what, etc., make note of any actions you took to
clarify the situation or get things straightened out. Write down any instructions
you get from anyone regarding this, as verbatim as you can make them.
(I wouldn't be obvious about keeping these notes, and I'd probably keep
them offsite.) Look for any copyright notices on the books or discs you
are handling, and make a copy to add to your records.
In the legal world, "Silence implies consent", so you must make your
disagreement known, as tactfully as you can, yet assertively enough to
get your point across.
It's not a bad idea to contact a legal advisor of your own -- the expense
is worth the peace of mind.
If you really feel strongly, find other work. After all, you are the one who
has to look yourself in the mirror every day. Good luck!
Beth Agnew
Senior Technical Writer, InSystems Technologies Inc. mailto:bagnew -at- insystems -dot- com Tel: (905) 513-1400 ext. 280
Fax: (905) 513-1419
Visit us at: http://www.insystems.com
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