Chevy P30 Tech Manual. . .

[bnlfan]

I purchased a Chevy P30 tech manual on cd.  It is for my 86 Cheiftan 26.

Fist question, am I allowed to legally post it for use by the forum?

Second, if yes, how do I do it.  lol D:oH!

[Lefty]

Section 302 of the U.S. Copyright laws state that any publication after January 1st, 1978 shall have a copyright duration of at least 70 years following the death of the original author.. or 95 years if the work was produced "for hire" by a corporation or entity. This is why we only have older books in the Club Store.. Prior to January 1st, 1978, Copyrights were only valid for 28 years from publication, and then required renewal by the copyright holder to remain in effect.

There is a "Fair Use" exception... which takes into account usage by non-commercial or non-profit use of a publication for "Education, Research, Teaching, or Review"... This law requires that the usage meet certain standards.

"Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Section 107 also sets out four factors to be considered in determining whether or not a particular use is fair.

1: The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes  (are you selling it or is it for free use for education or research?)
2: The nature of the copyrighted work 
3: The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole
4: The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work  (This is the important part.. Are you potentially costing the copyright owner lost royalties by using it. If it is no longer available for sale, and no longer in publication.. It is hard for a copyright holder to justify a claim that you have cost him money.)

This is why, rarely you might see a publication available here that is after that date... It typically will be a publication that has long been out of print and "abandoned" by the copyright holder. And is typically something that is more educational or reference in nature... such as a manual. That is easier to justify the educational or research requirements of the Fair Use laws than a publication that would be more of an entertainment type publication.. such as a novel or magazine.

In short, if it's after Jan. 1st 1978, and it is still offered for sale, or still in print or still available by the original copyright holder.. You cannot use it without permission. If it is no longer available for sale new (Used or pre-owned doesn't count), then it might can be used in most cases if it meets the Fair Use Guidelines above.

[Lefty]

Here is the problem...
A similar manual is available for an '88 model brand new from a Book Store retailer. Which indicates that it is still in active production and print. While it is not the specific year you stated, I would be very wary of reproducing it or providing it. As the original publisher could object on grounds that you'd be costing them lost sales and royalties.

http://www.amazon.com/Service-Repair-Manual-Engine-Drivetrain/dp/B005GLOPJK/ref=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_t