XPost: alt.startrek, alt.tv.star-trek, alt.tv.star-trek.enterprise   
   From: kweeg@nospam.shaw.ca   
      
   "Anybody"  wrote in message   
   news:061220051819158374%anybody@anywhere-anytime.com...   
   > In article , ToolPackinMama   
   >  wrote:   
   >   
   > > Keeper of the Purple Twilight wrote:   
   > > > On 2005-12-05 21:17:51 -0600, ToolPackinMama    
   said:   
   > > >   
   > > >> Al Smith wrote:   
   > > >>   
   > > >>>>> Know what Paramount should do? They should comission a series of   
   > > >>>>> ten limited budget Trek films by different well known directors,   
   > > >>>>> and run them as a miniseries on television. Just let the directors   
   > > >>>>> do whatever stories they wanted to do. They could put the Trek   
   > > >>>>> special effects team at the disposal of the different directors as   
   > > >>>>> their films came up, so all the films would have a nice, uniform   
   > > >>>>> look and feel. It would be fascinating to see what fresh minds   
   > > >>>>> would do with the Trek universe.   
   > > >>>>   
   > > >>>> That's actually a very cool idea!  :)   
   > > >>>   
   > > >>> Thank you. Let's hope some eager young Paramont flunky is reading   
   > > >>> this group, and decides to steal my idea and use it for his/her own   
   > > >>> career advancement. We might see some decent Trek.   
   > > >>   
   > > >> If only they actually would "steal" some (freely offered) ideas from   
   > > >> fans.  We would all be better off.   
   > > >   
   > > > They are legally prevented from doing so, AFAIK they could get sued if   
   > > > they do that.   
   > > > Which is why none of the authors ever frequent these NGs.   
   > >   
   > > But that is absurd!  You can't patent/copyright a "concept"!   
   >   
   > That depends on how detailed you make it.   
   >   
   > You obvious can't patent "device to breath underwater", but you can   
   > patent / copyright "device to breath underwater utilising sponges and   
   > grape jelly". Anyone who then makes a product using sponges and grape   
   > jelly for breathing underwater could be in trouble.   
   >   
   > Apple Computer (among others) patents concepts galore, many of which it   
   > never uses or has any intention of using.   
   >   
   > If you were to described a detailed storyline that then later turned on   
   > on TV identically or "close enough", then the person claiming it as   
   > there own would be in serious trouble (assuming you can prove you came   
   > up with it first).   
      
   There you have it, the definitive answer form "Anybody" (he's so s-m-r-t)   
      
   --   
      
   Qapla'   
   Kweeg   
   Ten of Canadian Clubs in the Eeeevil Trek Cabal   
   http://members.shaw.ca/iksbloodoath   
   "Half a gallon a'scotch!" Scotty (Spectre of the Gun)   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)