This morning, I tried to get the pdf file of the F4:AF manual printed (1 copy, B/W double-sided) at my local Kinkos. They won't do it because it is copyrighted by Lead-Pursuit. The manager said I would need written authorization from Lead-Pursuit before they would print the file.

Morons!

That bites! The Kinkos here didn't even mention it and I took the file in on a USB memory stick! I wonder if you show them your receipt or CD if that will suffice?

Telling you that you have to have written authorization is a little extreme I think. It's not like your having only one copy printed out to try and sell it. I could understand if you went in there and asked for 500 copies, but only one copy should not be a problem.

I'll be surprised if more people don't run into this. I tried getting a copy of a manual printed once back in Tampa. It was a copyrighted manual, but it was copyrighted by me (for a shareware program I developed). I had to provide ID before they'd do the job.

Copyright infringements ain't what they used to be.

Those are awful news!
WTF are we suppossed to do then?

Most of you shouldn't have a problem. But the solution is an LP or LP-sponsored, official, outlet for printed manuals. Until that happens, we're stuck with higher prices, and that's if we can have them printed at all.

And I would very much urge LP to do that. Clearly the need is there. Where there is a need, something will come along to fill it - legal or otherwise. Besides - LP - there's an opportunity to make a buck here.

I would say the "solution" is not restricting our right to print a manual we payed for. As purchasers of AF we do have that right, don't we?

Apparently, you have that right if the local copy center says you have that right.

Same thing happened to me when I tried to get the Lock-On manual printed out. Guess it depends on who is working the counter.

I was wondering about those companies that allow you to self-publish your book.
A self-publisher company example

Can LP cut a deal with one of such low cost publishers? Or is it Atari's the owner of the copyright?

I just called Lead-Pursuit and left a voice-mail, asking for written authorization from them to allow Kinkos to print out a copy of the manual for me. Hopefully, L-P will be more cooperative than Kinkos was

FOLLOWUP

Mr. Mike Kent from Lead-Pursuit returned my call and said he would be calling Kinkos with permission to process my print job. Well done, L-P!

I just had a narrow escape...

Fellow in Stinkos had to check with his boss, who was about to bring the hammer down because (please note, anyone from LP reading this thread) there is no publisher's note in the manual specifically granting a one-off right to reproduce the document. However, I think the initial dude was a gamer, as he just grunted, waited for his boss to walk away, took a look at the PDF and said "ah, you're fine with this" and went ahead.

Interesting footnote: Can you guess what he quoted me for printing the manual out in color? $500. In B & W it was $40. I said, who on earth would pay that for a game document? Answer: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas devotees, that's who. These guys have been printing out GTA in-game media like wanted posters at > $500 a pop. Probably selling them on ebay, which brings us full circle...

Nice!

This is crazy stupid. There is no prohibition on you printing the manual for yourself. It's called fair use. However, I suppose the title of the thread says it all - at least LP helped out!

I had Staples print the manual for Crown of Glory for me. No hassle at all.

As far as L-P calling, it wouldn't surprise me if Kinkos insisted they send a fax over with the written permission.

Err, guys, why not print out the manual yourselves?

Depending on your printer and cartridges, it could easily be cheaper to have Kinkos print it. An unless you have a laser printer, it will almost certainly look better.

I just printed mine out with my Pixma 4000. Used all the Cyan and most of the yellow and magenta, but even with $40-ish worth of ink, it looks fantastic. I seperated the airport info and bound them seperately at staples. Cost $8 combined to get them bound including covers.

Looks simply great. Tied up the printer for a while, but darn, I'm tickled pink with the result.

Just go to another Kinko's. They are as plentifull as McDonalds. Most employees would not catch the copyright. Especially if they are busy.

The one next to my house didn't give me any problems on some other manuals.

I also ran into a DOLT at Kinkos. Earlier, before I got the sim, I called ahead. The gamer who I talked to said no problem, however the brain dead who was working the counter couldn't figure out how to print the darned thing, and gave me a lame excuse, so she could blow me off, and resume talking to her fellow dolt employees. I told her, "no problem sweetheart, I'll find somebody who knows what they are doing to print it." (Tightened her jaws right up!)

Found a place close to the house, and they had it done in about 45 minutes!

Short and dirty. It depends on who is working the counter. Call ahead! Any reasonably competent printer can, and will gin one up for you in short order. FEDEX Kinkos isn't the only game in town. I put "printing" into my SBC Yahoo yellow pages. Even in Parma OH I got at least 10 hits within 2 miles of the house. If they have a web page they can most likely print it. Additionally you can even shoot the manual to them electronicly, over the net, and it can be waiting for you when you get there! How kewl is that? Call ahead!

This leads me to the question: To those who've printed the manual in B&W double sided, how much did it cost ya?

Right now, I'm off to buy an ink refill kit, cheaper than having to buy another ink cartridge, especially if the old cartridge still has a few drops left in it. I'm a cheap ******* sometimes.