Reuters Suing Zotero

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Joseph Lorenzo Hall" <joehall () gmail com>
> Date: September 28, 2008 9:55:24 AM EDT
> To: "Dave Farber" <dave () farber net>
> Subject: Reuters Suing Zotero
>
> Zotero is a FireFox-based reference/citation manager that many grad
> students would evaporate without...
>
> http://www.courthousenews.com/2008/09/17/Reuters_Says_George_Mason_University_Is_Handing_Out_Its_Proprietary_Software.htm
>
> Reuters Says George Mason University Is Handing Out Its Proprietary  
> Software
>
> RICHMOND, VA. (CN) - Thomson Reuters demands $10 million and an
> injunction to stop George Mason University from distributing its new
> Web browser application, Zotero software, an open-source format that
> allows users to convert Reuters' EndNote Software. Reuters claims
> George Mason is violating its license agreement and destroying the
> EndNote customer base.
>
>     Thomson Reuters also sued the Commonwealth of Virginia, in
> Richmond City Court. George Mason, founded in 1972, is a state
> institution.
>
>     Reuters says its EndNote Software "allows end users to search
> online bibliographic databases, organize their references, images, and
> .pdfs in any language, and instantly create bibliographic reference
> style files and figure lists in Thomson's proprietary .ens style
> format for over 3,500 journals and publications."
>
>     The complaint states, "Dr. Daniel J. Cohen, Associate Professor,
> Department of History and Art History, and the director of GMU's
> Center for History and New media, developed Zotero, which is a freely
> distributable, open-source software based research tool that allows
> users to gather, organize and analyze sources, including citations,
> and freely share the results with others."
>
>     The Center for History and New Media release "a new beta version
> of Zotero to the general public" on July 8. Reuters adds, "A
> significant and highly touted feature of the new beta version of
> Zotero, however, is its ability to convert - in direct violation of
> the License Agreement - Thomson's 3,500 plus proprietary .ens style
> files within the EndNote Software into free, open source, easily
> distributable Zotero .csl files."
>
>     It claims GMU reverse engineered Reuters' EndNote software to
> create Zotero.
>
>     Reuters is represented by Gary Noyes of Tysons Corner.
>
> --
> Joseph Lorenzo Hall
> Postdoctoral Research Fellow
> UC Berkeley School of Information
> Princeton University Center for Information Technology Policy
> http://josephhall.org/




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