[B5JMS] ATTN JMS: Thoughts on Serling's Plagarism Woes?

[b5jms-admin at cs.columbia.edu]

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From: kevin kenney <kpkca at pacbell.net>
Date: Sat, 01 Sep 2001 08:03:32 -0700
Lines: 23

Someone mentioned this at work, so I did a bit of checking on the web
about it.  

Short question:
What's your take on the charges that were made against Mr. Serling?

Editorial:
Plagiarism is so nebulous when things aren't directly copied, and there
can seem to be much there and gotten away with, yet it seems hard to
avoid inadvertent plagiarism vs. everything ever written.  I'm still
looking for reasonable suggestions for where lines should get drawn -
but specific knowledge of a previous work and intent to copy seem to be
a start.  Copying of plot vs. setting, prop, or generic type of incident
is another.  Thinking someone's idea is neat and wanting to take it in a
different direction, dressing it differently, would seem to be
acceptable (and probably normal), however.  There is still a line to be
drawn though, as those definitions overlap a lot, and we have seen that
line crossed with malice.  

Maybe I'll get a chance to ask Harlan about this at his appearance in
Claremont later this month.
(http://harlanellison.com/newsapp.htm for details.)


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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Date: 02 Sep 2001 23:38:58 GMT
Lines: 15

>What's your take on the charges that were made against Mr. Serling?

Rod never needed to borrow anygoddamnthing from anybody.  The man was the best
of us.

 jms

(jmsatb5 at aol.com)
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