Randy wrote: >Why does the U.S. Federation feel that it needs to take >out a copyright on this material to begin with? Just for a profit to made >off of it? >Might more benefit be gained by their removing all copyright >restrictions and allow free and easy dissemination?
Despite the original posted reply to Coach Dunton stating it was not the Coaching Ed Committee policy to distribute this at no cost, I suspect the reason for the copyright "enforcement" is _not_ financial in nature. (and for the argument, can we have a coaches committee representative response on this?) Rather, the reason for not allowing free copying is the control of the material. Control _not_ being defined as limited access, but rather focusing access to one specific site, and control of how it is presented / modified / updated / authored. <cut> >Shouldn't this information be made available to those who >might NOT have the time or resources to go to a Level I or II >class? The benefit of attending is hands-on instruction, >question-and-answer, sharp focus, etc. >But if you CAN'T go, getting at the course material still has SOME >benefit, doesn't it? Getting the materials out has great impact on educating more coaches, particulary since coaching schools are relatively few and far betwen. But where the materials come from has much merit, too. For example, I believe Mass.Institute of Technology (MIT) is working on a new policy to offer almost all notes to classes on a websites. The notes will increase the base of knowledge for anyone wanting to know about a subject, but they won't get MIT class credit BUT there's only one place they'll be available - not at "Joe's Thermodynamics for Dummies Website". The value is that the source is MIT. Another example, a race timing company copied race director materials from our website that we'd compiled and used for several years, copying almost verbatum. When asked about it he said, it was so good he had to use it, and he did change a 'few' words so it wasn't really copied. He gave no credit to where he got it. We certainly would prefer to link directly to our website, because our site has value and we want individuals to see our site. Ultimately the race company did acknowledge where it came from, and we left it at that. But the value would be that it came from our site, going to our site as a resource, and not having people think that this other dude came up with the materials. >I have trouble seeing why the USATF only wants to share the >info if you come to their school. >Sorry, but I've got one more observation to share. >[delete if not interested] > >Isn't USATF interested in fostering a 'multiplier effect'? ><cut> >Isn't that a major part of USATF's mission? >Disseminate coaching & training info far, wide and deep? <cut> As said, the point is not stifling the education, it is controlling the content as well as recognizing who did the work. Note 1: Only one person works on the national website. Note 2: A half dozen committees are / are trying to put up their own content in their own form and of course each is a top priority. In constructing the website, there's a desire to have the website in a format that is distinctive to the site and in the same style/format, all of which has to be coordinated by the above one individual. Assumption 1: the coaches material is going to get up on the USATF site. Once it gets on the USATF site (right, Bill Roe ([EMAIL PROTECTED])?), then it is going to be available to all who visit the USATF site. Then the USATF site can be referenced and linked. Traffic is driven to that site, the site becomes more useful for the many topics visitors see at the site - one stop shopping for the sport. Users also know what the original source was. Comments on other stuff that's been posted on this topic: Foreign sites with coaching material were referenced in one post; are those the federation sites with their own coaching material, or are random sites picking and posting from the original site? Ken Stone's original post said that Coach Dunton "distilled" useful information. Does such distiling / editorializing change the value - or meaning - of the material? Was it meant to be paraphrased? Ken also did not note if the posted material was noted as being part of the USATF coaching curriculum, or where he got it in the first place. ><cut> >USATF shouldn't be in the business of 'selling' knowledge, >other than possibly reimbursement for expenses, if they >can't find any grant money to cover xerox reproduction >costs, webmaster fees, travel expenses for instructors, >and so on. Shouldn't this be a big part of what USATF >dues are used for- to go into the expenses of these programs? That's a whole other topic but since it was brought up, most of the individual membership fee stays in the local association, and what does got to National ($7.50) is mostly allocated to specific items before it even arrives in Indianapolis. Steve Vaitones Steve Vaitones Managing Director USA Track & Field - New England Association P.O.Box 1905 Brookline MA 02446-0016 Phone: 617 566 7600 Fax: 617 734 6322 [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.usatfne.org
