Idea infringement?

Here is a story from Yahoo news about a lawsuit from a former college roommate of Stephenie Meyer who claims to have had the idea for the vampire series Twilight first and written a short story about it.. It states that she is sueing for idea infrigement.

WTF? I thought that an idea could not be copyright but it was what you did with it that made it original. Idea infringement?? Is anyone else clued up on this?

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/1/20090420/ten-new-moon-halted-over-lawsuit-c60bd6d.html

Def.

Sarcasm Alert. Yeah, coz no-one written anything about vampires before, have they?
(Referring to the story, not the post).

These type of lawsuits pop up all over the place once someone's become succesful. Few get anywhere.

Ideas are not copyrighted as far as I'm aware but there is a point at which 'borrow and mould' becomes outright steal. It depends on proving how identical the characters are, as I believe characters are copyright. As to plot and world similarities, does anyone know? I don't know but I suspect, for example, that people would not be able to write discworld novels without permission.

I believe intellectual copyright only exists to protect a company's ideas.

Quote: SlagA @ May 1 2009, 10:18 AM BST

I don't know but I suspect, for example, that people would not be able to write discworld novels without permission.

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F**k, that's the last year of my life wasted.

Quote: chipolata @ May 1 2009, 10:20 AM BST

F**k, that's the last year of my life wasted.

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Call it Ellipseworld...

Dan

Quote: chipolata @ May 1 2009, 10:20 AM BST

F**k, that's the last year of my life wasted.

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Its alright he won't remember it anyway... ooh too soon?

Quote: ContainsNuts @ May 1 2009, 11:40 AM BST

Its alright he won't remember it anyway... ooh too soon?

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It's never too soon. He was on something a few weeks back and the missus said, "I forgot he had Alzheimers" to which my obvious reply was "so has he."

Quote: Afinkawan @ May 1 2009, 1:05 PM BST

It's never too soon. He was on something a few weeks back and the missus said, "I forgot he had Alzheimers" to which my obvious reply was "so has he."

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I hope when it becomes full blown his family doesn't stitch him up by having a documentary crew film his last undignified months and years. I hate that sort of illness porn.

Quote: Afinkawan @ May 1 2009, 1:05 PM BST

It's never too soon. He was on something a few weeks back and the missus said, "I forgot he had Alzheimers" to which my obvious reply was "so has he."

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>_<

Quote: chipolata @ May 2 2009, 2:15 PM BST

I hate that sort of illness porn.

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Yes, I find it's not nearly as good as regular porn for wanking to.

In England there is a copyright in ideas but it is hard to prove and must fulfil certain criteria. The precedent was for Rock Follies where crucially the idea was shown in confidence.

http://www.copyright.theft.btinternet.co.uk/rockfollies1.html

Interesting read. Cheers.

Thanks Goldnutmeg, you jogged my memory. I remember this case. Howard Schuman and co. were caught but I reckon a lot still get away with it. Anyway - back to my new novel featuring Defective Inspector Jack De Lonley...

Yes but in this instance there is a clear paper trail (agreements between plaintiffs and defendants) for the judgement to have a basis. If it was a purely oral arrangement or a script-sent-to-submission-department scenario, there'd have been little recourse, surely?

Anyone?