Grimlock ♥ Ultra Magnus

First of all, while P2P is a legitimate topic/concern, I'm more interested in flat out plagiarism - when someone copies someone else's work word for word and fanfic.   Is there a difference?

I think so.   I think saying that you don't see a difference means equating fanfic authors - many of whom slave over their work for the pure joy of these worlds - with people who copy and paste. 

I guess the ideas and stories mean nothing.  I guess spending hours of your life writing that perfect paragraph or chapter mean nothing more than a simple copy and paste.   Not liking fanfic, finding it gross, fine, but 'stealing' a character - and I'll get to this right after this sentence - and stealing a story word for word are not equal. 

First of all, a plagiarist wants to deceive, to make people think this is their work and they came up with it all.   Fanfic writers never do this and go out of their way to name the proper creators and/or right holders.   They are not deceiving: everyone knows they are 'stealing' - or borrowing - characters.  Everyone.   To equate that to someone who acts as if they created everything and they hold all the rights - for money no less - just rubs me the wrong way. 

I don't think of it as stealing a character: I think of it as borrowing.   If you think of as stealing?   That's legitimate, although I would point out it's an odd kind of theft where you tell the world you're stealing something.   

Furthermore, Joss Whedon and J.K. Rowling, amongst other creators, have come out as champions of fanfic.   I can't name a single creator who thinks that plagiarism is awesome.   

Okay, y'know what, end of rant.   I'd love to hear what other people think, though.