[organicmillions]

I apologize if this is in the wrong thread but I think that it is a very important topic that could affect your business.

When publishing documents for your business, for example publishing an ebook, sales copy, web design, at what point do you need to acknowledge the source from which influenced you.

Here is the Situation:
As an author who is about to write a book, resources are gathered together so that content can be created. However, there are several excerpts that the author would like to use from another. So the question posed is:

1) Does the author need to use proper quotes/provide a reference page acknowledging the source.

2) If there is a reference to a quote/paraphrase etc in the product and a reference page included, does the author need to gain permission before publishing.

I guess at what point do you stay within the law so you are not sued as well as do the people referenced in the product due any type of royalties for quoting their words?

[Witzer]

I guess at what point do you stay within the law

There is a conception today that we only need to obey the laws that fit our needs.

[Herb ԿԬ]

There is a conception today that we only need to obey the laws that fit our needs.

however, getting written permission is a good thing

and Welcome to ABW

[Rolet]

I guess at what point do you stay within the law so you are not sued as well as do the people referenced in the product due any type of royalties for quoting their words?

the point at which to stay within the law is at the beginning....written permission from the original author and a reference page....

[2busy]

To learn much more just google "DMCA" for a start.

[Daniel M. Clark]

Quotes need to be attributed to their sources, but you do not need permission from the person who said them. If you're quoting a passage from a book though, you still need to attribute the quote to the source, but you *might* need to get permission from the copyright holder of the book, depending on how long the passage is that you're quoting. If you're taking in facts and ideas and presenting them - ideas and facts can't be copyrighted. If you write "a cumulonimbus cloud is puffy and white", you don't need to cite a source for something like that.

Anyway, those are very, very general guidelines - consult an attorney. Nobody here can tell you with 100% certainty what is legal and what is not for your personal situation. If you're not up for that, a proper book publishing and authors forum would be your best bet.

[TheFashionista]

I had the same questions when I started my website. Here are 2 resources I found that might help answer some of your questions:

http://www.copyright.com/Services/CorporateGuide/digital_frameset.htm

http://www.copyright.gov/