A company called DataPro, has purchased the RIGHT to print and sell Heathkit legacy manuals. What does this mean for the community? Sadly, it doesn't bode well for us Hams, or the owners of DataPro either.
Don Patterson, the owner of DataPro, has been sending letters to anyone hosting manuals, such as the Boatanchor Manual Archive, BAMA, asking that they take them down, since he is now the owner of Heathkit's intellectual property. However, this is not the case, as Heathkit have not transferred one single solitary copyright to DataPro or Don. The Library of Congress and Copyright Office still show Heathkit as holding the rights for all the publications that have a valid copyright (those published since 1964).
It's important to note that DataPro haven't sent "Cease and Desist" letters, or obtained any Cease and Desist Order against any party, they are simply claiming in a letter that they now own the copyrights.
Two things: Would Heathkit, or anyone else, sell the copyright to their entire catalog for $5,000? And, if DataPro had any legal grounds, why did they not follow through legally, and send a formal Cease and Desist to BAMA?
Don't believe the hype, readers. Don owns nothing but a license to copy on behalf of Heathkit. Nothing more, nothing less. If he thought he was getting the copyrights, he bought a pig in a poke and got nothing but an empty sack.
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