sdo@u1100a.UUCP (08/16/84)
>If the salesperson tells you what Consumer Reports says about their >product, report that to CU (publishers of CR). It is against CU >policy to use their reviews in that manner, since it jeopardizes >their reputation for objectivity. It seems pretty clear to me that even CU can't violate someone's freedom of expression. A copyright is one thing, and they can refuse permission for the reproduction of their reports in advertising, but they can't tell someone not to repeat what was read in the magazine. I didn't sign a non-disclosure agreement when I subscribed, and I should be able to tell anyone I want what I read there. I can even show them my copy of the magazine. The copyright protects the expression of the idea - not the idea itself. That's why I can write a program that does the same thing as yours as long as I don't use your source code. I'm not even convinced that it is illegal to print the results of their tests, even though most courts have upheld them in this area. I'm not allowed to print the "grep" manual page, but I can certainly say that "grep matches patterns" without fear of prosecution by AT&T. And AT&T is a lot bigger than CU. The big question, in my mind, is whether the test results are distinct from the particular expression of them in the magazine. If anyone has meaningful and relevant information about this, I'd like to know it. Thank you. -- Scott Orshan Bell Communications Research 201-981-3064 {ihnp4,allegra,pyuxww}!u1100a!sdo
robison@eosp1.UUCP (Tobias D. Robison) (08/20/84)
References: Scott Orshan responded more to the letter, than the spirit, of CU's policy. They fight like tigers to try to prevent virtually all commercial groups from citing their reports. Whether they win or lose in each case, they are reassuring their readers that they are not an organization that is controlled, or influenced, by the advertising or support they may receive from the manufacturers of products they review. - Toby Robison (not Robinson!) allegra!eosp1!robison decvax!ittvax!eosp1!robison
hawk@oliven.UUCP (Rick) (09/05/84)
I just had a car salesman tell me that the Ford Escort was Consumer Reports preferred car. How does CU react to this? -- rick (Rick Hawkins @ Olivetti ATC) [hplabs|zehntel|fortune|ios|tolerant|allegra|tymix]!oliveb!oliven!hawk