I just used helen as the current example, I wasn't really implying that you were refering to her directly.
I think that fandom is pretty good about bringing up possible plagiarism infractions itself. You often don't see them get huge (noteable exceptions to the contrary) because they're handled behind closed doors.
Then again I'm not sure if I would have called it plagiarism if Helen hadn't directly attributed Xanthe as there is something to be said for common knowledge and/or ideas too generic to be specific. The concept of a BDSM verse may have only been done once to much acclaim/knowledge in this fandom, but it's not the first time its ever been done in fandom as a whole. It's not a new idea or concept. Sometimes I forget to disclaim my SGA fic, but no one is seriously going to beleive that I came up with Sheppard and McKay and the Stargate. I'm not even sure how often "may the force be with you" is properly attributed in public works because of its common knowledge value.
As for correcting the gray area? I'm not sure it ever will be strictly defined. For one, there's enough people out there on 'the other side' who beleive fans and fanworks have a lot to offer their product and for another I kind of think of it like underage drinking. It's always gonna happen, no matter the rules.
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Date: 11/19/06 11:19 am (UTC)I think that fandom is pretty good about bringing up possible plagiarism infractions itself. You often don't see them get huge (noteable exceptions to the contrary) because they're handled behind closed doors.
Then again I'm not sure if I would have called it plagiarism if Helen hadn't directly attributed Xanthe as there is something to be said for common knowledge and/or ideas too generic to be specific. The concept of a BDSM verse may have only been done once to much acclaim/knowledge in this fandom, but it's not the first time its ever been done in fandom as a whole. It's not a new idea or concept. Sometimes I forget to disclaim my SGA fic, but no one is seriously going to beleive that I came up with Sheppard and McKay and the Stargate. I'm not even sure how often "may the force be with you" is properly attributed in public works because of its common knowledge value.
As for correcting the gray area? I'm not sure it ever will be strictly defined. For one, there's enough people out there on 'the other side' who beleive fans and fanworks have a lot to offer their product and for another I kind of think of it like underage drinking. It's always gonna happen, no matter the rules.