Re: IPIX against Panorama_Tools

[Jook Leung <jook@xxxxxxxx>]

I was stunned to hear this.

Many of us have enjoyed Helmut's posts and knowing he is most generous to
freely share his work and offer software tools for those of us who shoot
with exotic lenses and who are not programmers.

I love and hate IPIX. This company has made the world at large more aware
of immersive imaging but yet they will bully and threaten to squash others
with their lawyers.

As already been threaded, it's already a minefield to justify using Ipix as
its licensing restricts its use:
>You further agree that you will not use the Software or
>the Program in any application or arrangement (i) with any competitor of
>Discovery Communications, or (ii) for the reproduction of images of
>apartment complexes located within the United States or
>timeshare/vacation interval ownership units worldwide."

I hope their corporate and public relations people will see that these
actions are self defeating and has been creating much ill-will among the
professional community who would otherwise embrace and use even their
pay-per-ipix products. I do hope management tells their legal trigger
fingers to cool it.

Those of us who see value in Helmut's contributions will want to support
him and I would support a legal fund if Helmut is taken to court.

A lousy day for panoramic shooters.

Jook Leung


>I have closed the Panorama Tools site
>temporarily because of threats from IPIX corporation.
>
>Since there isn't anything illegal at my site,
>they invented something: Copyright infringement.
>They claim one of my panoramic images was copied
>from their site.
>
>All my images were made by myself with my own
>equipment at original locations. The image
>in question (Grand Canyon) even shows me.
>But they expect me to demonstrate this to
>a british court which is of course an obvious
>choice for a US-company suing a german site.
>
>I don't think they can really hurt me, but
>it is certainly goodbye to Panorama Tools
>for a while.
>
>Helmut Dersch


---------------------------------------------------------------
Jook Leung    jook@xxxxxxxxx    http://360vr.com    201.894.5881
     360VR Photography - Immersive Imaging - Virtual Tours