It was in respect of a current front page article, "Ushba, Forbidden Mountain" by alexclimb.
Vladimir Kopylov made this comment on it, (I am not sure if this did lead to a small change in the title of the article):-
I would like to Inform You, that the name "Forbidden Mountains" - is the title of my English version Book. This name is registrated and can not be used, connected with any fotos of Mountains, without my written permission.
I would like to ask you to change this title name and never use it again.
And also not to cut any of my photos, if you use it for your text illustration.
With respect,
Vladimir Kopylov
Subsequently it seems that Vladimir may have removed all his submissions to SP, and is asking to have his images and name removed from SP as well. Very sad, he has posted some great photos. If he reads this I would ask him to think again.
But hasn't Vladimir asked for too much here? Asking that two words he put together as a book title cannot be used in connection with photos of mountains, presumably by anyone else.
Is that just in written form, or is he trying to ban anyone speaking those words when talking about mountain photos? i.e having himself used those words in print as a book title then stops anyone, worldwide, ever using them again when discussing mountains and mountain photos.
I make that latter statement, not because I feel that was ever Vladimir's intention, but to illustrate how trying to grab two words once used as a book title has the potential to lead to quite ridiculous situations.
My own view is that a small, website article, with a title using two words that someone else used for a published book covering a similar subject does no harm whatsoever to the book. The two are so different in the way they have been "published" and , (I have to presume this), in their content.
Unless the SP article was a direct copy of contents of the book! Which from my understanding of the situation it is most definitely not. But from my understanding of Copyright Laws in certain countries, even if it was a reproduction of a small section of published material online, it could be allowed if the copy was for educational purposes: and what does SP do , if not educate? So if that is allowed, surely using two words of/from the title most certainly is allowable as well.
I just wonder what others here think about the copyright issues raised here?