On the scene at the 'Harry Potter' trial

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Ryan Mon, May 12, 2008 at 08:55 PM EST

u guys are stupid al right. i dont think the guy should go through this but she is right i mean 17 years of work and then suddenly half of that work is taken by some old guy who had nothing to do with her sucess.

Tara Sun, Apr 20, 2008 at 11:16 PM EST

I have always thought that Lexicon Steve seemed to be a pretty good guy. That is, until he and RDR decided to push this. The trial isn't necessarily about Harry Potter, Jo, or Steve. It is about taking credit, and making money, off of other people's copyrighted ideas, concepts, characters, and MOST IMPORTANTLY for this case, their words. As it has been said, the Lexicon book is 91% verbatim to Jo's words. I know of people who have been kicked out of colleges, including their deans, for far less plagarism. This is about using her words rather than paraphrasing without giving her the credit for her direct quotes, and taking money for it. It is about the impact that a win for RDR and Steve will have on not only the Harry Potter fandom, which I am an active member in, but the impact it will have on other authors, big and small, new or mainstream, and what will be allowed to be taken from them, from their hard work, from their time and their brains, to be used for another's gain.

Bobby Thu, Apr 17, 2008 at 11:21 AM EST

RE Chris's comment about Cliff Notes being only for public domain books: Your completely wrong. You couldn't have gone to cliff notes' website and looked this up before declaring not only you ignorance, but your laziness to the internet? EPIC FAIL Chris.

For Hermione Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 11:10 PM EST

'All you homophobes are scary'??
What's up with that?
I think you're the scary one Herm.

gre Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 04:30 PM EST

Rowling admitted herself that she used Vander Ark's web site as a reference guide when she got lazy. Could this lawsuit be a ploy to have them split the proceeds, or, even better, collaborate on an uber-encyclopedia? Come on, Jo, Steve did a lot of cataloguing for you. Throw the guy a bone.

SJ Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 03:04 PM EST

Holy Frak! I totally have the same suit as JK Rowling! *mind has just exploded*

Shaun Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 03:02 PM EST

Explain where, in my comments, I was being a homophobe exactly... Umm, no. I just think it's odd that a 50 year old, man or woman, is getting all this choked up. His website is one thing. But publishing a book that essentially JKR's own writing is not only a copyright violation, it's something a person Vander Ark's age should know better than to do.

On another note, props to EW for deleting the ads for the dating sites that have been cluttering up these comment boards.

Chris Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 01:35 PM EST

"I don't see how this encyclopedia is any different from a Cliffs Notes. I think Van Der Ark has every right to put out his book."

Except for that all of the books that Cliff's Notes uses are so old that no one owns the copyrights to them. They're in the public domain. The Harry Potter books are not. Hence, the copyright infringement.

Hermione Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 12:37 PM EST

all you homophobes are scary. Remember Dumbledore? What's wrong with a 50 year old guy, who may be putting himself in Harry's place? He's upset because he's banking on this book and could lose it all. Not that I side with him... I think the judge will figure what's fair.

EHM Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 12:34 PM EST

Whatever. JK is being a total sleaze about this. Her comments, which were left out of this report, are tacky and absurd at best. I love JK and her books, but she's sort of going over the top. It's a literary reference book. The classics tend to have them. JK should be honored that someone would want to do this. Although I can't imagine why someone would buy this book when it's already available for free online.

Gre Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 11:46 AM EST

I don't see how this encyclopedia is any different from a Cliffs Notes. I think Van Der Ark has every right to put out his book.

Shaun Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 09:11 AM EST

Hilarious... I post a comment asking about why all these dumb ads for dating sites are being allowed through, but MY comment gets held up for review by the blog's spam filter? Umm... OK. Maybe you need to rethink that, EW.

Shaun Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 09:09 AM EST

I was sympathetic to Vander Ark at first, but that's before I realized he was a 50 year old guy who's basically lifted JKR's own writings and calling it his own. There are other guide books to the HP series that have been pulbished. JKR hasn't gone after any of those, probably because those are actual original words/thoughts/commentaries by the people who wrote them. I mean REALLY wrote them, not just swiped from JKR like Vander Ark seems to have done.

anonymous Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 08:33 AM EST

I notice this article doesn't mention that his book is 91% JKR's own words, including almost the entirity of the two faux textbooks she published for charity. I find I can't work up any sympathy for someone that dumb.

Oh, except he actually got on the stand and admitted that he had reservations about copyright publishing but was "talked into it" by his publisher. So maybe he did know what he was doing, but doesn't make him any less dumb. But be happy, Steve, you've got something that most fans don't have: you're written into JKR's work. Just use your manuscript to look up all instances of the character "Peter Pettigrew"...

Clearlyhere Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 08:18 AM EST

He is just a fan of the work. Remember Harry Potter isn't just a kids book. In fact, the later books are too long and complex for children. I think he is a Librarian who has always had a love of books and marveled at the complexities of the world she created. It is very sad for him that he has to go through this process. Though, I believe he needed to shut down the publishing process.

Susan Tue, Apr 15, 2008 at 08:18 PM EST

Mr. Van Der Ark is choked up over Harry Potter??? He sounds like the "I'm your number one fan!" type (thanks,Misery) The ending of "Return of the King" got me choked up.... but crying over Frodo. HUH???

Strange.

Nix Tue, Apr 15, 2008 at 08:12 PM EST

I was all sympathetic because I thought this was some college girl who has an LJ and loved loved loved Harry since she was ten.

But man who's loved loved loved Harry since he was 40? not quite so sympathetic.

J. Tue, Apr 15, 2008 at 07:24 PM EST

Is anyone else disturbed by the fact a 50-year-old man is getting choked up over Harry Potter?