Sharin' the Love - SCA Research and Piracy

[femkes_follies]

Leaving aside for a moment all the ridiculous Drahma that led to the informational search in question to begin with, I have an Imponderable with which to "task" the hive mind.

I was contacted lately by a friend/acquaintance. She'd picked my brain earlier on an SCA textile based "everybody knows" subject, looking for hard facts. I passed on what I could find, but (not having my own knickers in a twist on the subject) let the matter slide afterwards. She did not. Apparently, goaded by some rather nasty commentary she went on and did some pretty extensive research both book-based and via contact with various museums. Several translations and communications later and she turned up evidence of slubby silk in period, and one fragment of said silk with extensive goldwork.

Now, never having been anti-dupioni to start with, I sort of said "well, that's cool." And went back to what I was doing. Until she came back and asked me "How do I share this, while avoiding having it stolen[sic]?" Given my current constant state of baby-induced low level sleep deprivation, my initial response was to suggest she write it up and post it on the Guild's website as an article, put it on her own website, or start her own LJ or other blog and post it there.

Hours later my brain kicked in. First, I was vaguely horrified that we should reach a point where we're so afraid of our work being pirated that we hesitate to share it. Which rather negates the purpose of finding out something. I mean, what good is it if you can't tell somebody else? Now, some of this fear is due to the whole "cookie" system of awards in the SCA. What could be more galling than someone else being Laureled on your research, stolen en masse from your article or website, or whatever? And here we come back to the whole moral code issue and whether or not you even see it as wrong. Now, I have no copyright on any of the paintings I've found, or other articles or materials I've collected. Only on my own writings on my thoughts and conclusions. So if somebody lifts the sources, and writes up my thoughts and conclusions in their own words, well, it's legal, I suppose. But against the spirit of the thing. How bent can you get about something like this? The perpetrator could well argue that the found the same sources and came to the same conclusions independently. And how could you prove otherwise?

Days later, the rest of my brain caught up. This is not a phenomenon unique to the SCA. I remember, as a senior at University, going on a tour of Parke Davis. Wherein the research associates locked up their notes to prevent their colleagues from snitching patentable ideas. There's a good method for rapid development of important new drugs, eh? Which was about the point at which I bailed out of biotechnology and genetic engineering, and went into veterinary medicine instead (What in the @*$& was I thinking?). Still, most of this behavior is related to the promotions/pay raises/bonuses connected.

I'm not against the award system, per se. (Though I do think the Midrealm's is way overdeveloped. All of the Grant level awards other than a straight GoA coiuld be pruned out. And the AoA level Orders turned to Awards that could be given more than once. But I'll leave that soapbox for another time.) But I wonder if it contributes extensively to this very unchivalric behavior. Too many people see their chose craft or endeavor as if it had check boxes to be completed. And that stealing somebody's research and passing it off as original might speed them to completion of that list.

Not sure how to combat that problem. But I'm wondering if combatting the other end might be as simple as taking a leaf from the US Marine Corps PR strategy - Maximum exposure, Minimum time frame. In other words, if you want to be known for a new discovery, you broadcast it as widely as possible as quickly as possible. The more quickly your name is associated with something, the more likely it will stick, and theives be called out.

Which brings me to another of my own moral failings, of a sort. I'm never confident enough in my own conclusions to do this. I sit on things, because I want just that much more research to confirm that I'm right before I take it to the wider world. (Of course, now I get to do some serious data recovery. *sigh* Anybody remember the url for Coffee Cup's free HTML editor?) I'm not hoarding info because I'm all that worried about it being lifted. I worry more about being flat out wrong. AND I'd like to have it all polished up and pretty for publication. Heck, I wish I could get more examples cranked out. Whenever my hands are relatively free of baby again, I suppose.

Some of you are so well known, at least by Society standards, that I can't see anybody (at this point, anyway) having the audacity to lift your work and try to pass it off as their own. But what about those of us who labor in relative obscurity? How do we share the information while still being credited with the discoveries and work? Cause let's face it, those unscrupulous folks are going to always be with us. So how best to foil them, without hindering the honest learner? Or do we just turn the other cheek, in the interest of spreading knowledge, however it happens?

Comments

[pinkdiamond.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure it's just about relative obscurity. I think there are lots of people dense enough to think they are working in a vacuum and that the sites they see no one else has. That's the only reason I can think of to explain how a few very well known people have had their work lifted and presented on other websites.

I'm not sure that most people (there can be cracks in the system though) doing the ripping off actually are likely to get say a Laurel because the whole body of work is looked at. In ripping off others there is going to be a big imbalance between what they say and do. While I do not think I am all that my research and practical skills match up better than the people who have lifted my patterns or text from my site. I put that research into practice. I just haven't been able to put much of the sewing research into practice.

I think the fear is simply the recognition full stop being taken and given to someone else (be it formal or informal) or the accusation that because you presented after they did that you are the copycat.

I hate it myself, and I am not sure if you are on my other filter (it's non SCA and based on convention costumes so I'm not sure that you are- you can be added if you are interested) but I've been dealing with sort of related issues the last few years in another costuming arena.

Not sure there is any way to get around it. But I think the best way to combat it is to publish and promote as widely as possible. Meaning post the information and publish the link in blogs, communities, forums... everywhere. It means finding and joining those places first of course.
It works in two ways, to protect you from any accusations of copying- you can prove dates, especially if people have responded and quoted you within the day (so no editing can be suggested) and it also gets that information out there and hopefully promotes the idea of sharing to others as well.

[landverhuizer.livejournal.com]

The easy part deal with are those things that are not ours to claim... period writings, artwork... but for our own body of work, that's more difficult. It is quite tricky for me where I like to feed off of what others come up and create my own theories (either complimenting or very different indeed) but in the end, I publish and expect that others will use it and call it a bonus if they credit.

I sure understand the desire to want to get everything right before publishing though... oh too often I would write something only to prove myself wrong later or find it needed far more tweeking...

[attack-laurel.livejournal.com]

I really recommend getting it out there, especially on a web site, and then documenting your continuing progression of knowledge - it helps people to avoid the same research dead ends, and it allows you to really understand your own advancement. I update and refine stuff on my website all the time.

I honestly feel it's more important to get the bare bones of an idea that people aren't considering in depth out there, so people can start thinking. I also like it when people correct me (or help me to find new information), because then I can refine my own body of knowledge - something I might be slower at if I don't put my thoughts out there for everyone to see and criticize. :)

[mistressarafina.livejournal.com]

I think you hit the nail on the head with your publish early, publish often. So what if you prove yourself wrong later. It's all theory, right? If you carefully word what you'r writing and put it in multiple places at the same time in a tactical strike, your name will be associated with your work. You can never stop a plagarist. But what you can do, is make it easy for him/her to be found out.

Did any of that make sense?

[attack-laurel.livejournal.com]

Ah, a subject near and dear to my heart. Some people have the mistaken idea that anything on the intarwebs is free for the taking - absolutely not the case. Even though copyright laws have been slow on strictly web-based creation (code, etc.), the law stands on the publication of artwork or writing in this medium as much as any other.

The answer is to get your name on your work quickly - as it always has been in any academic circle, amateur or pro (especially pro - there are some real horror stories). If the person in question does not have a web site of their own, there are kingdom websites, journals, or even probably a friend who would be willing to host their article.

Those of us fighting the Dupioni fight would be very happy to see extant physical evidence, and would be more than happy to broadcast her name. :)

Intellectual theft has always been an issue, but the truth does out - usually in a manner similar to the outing of Sigourney Weaver's deception in "Working Girl". It takes time ot recover, but it's not impossible. The good news is that it doesn't happen all the time. Your friend is more likely to have some people deperate to prove her wrong in the face of all her evidence than to have people steal her research.

However, if she puts her research up on the web somewhere, I'd love to link to it - I *still* get the "Dupioni=/=period" thing all the time.

[gwacie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, what they said. Publish or Perish, baby. There was a great quote from Charles Darwin about how history doesn't reward the first person who has an idea, it rewards the person who publicizes it (and he should know, his Origin of the Species was based on another scientist's earlier work. And I don't even remember his name!)

And there's also the possibility that someone else is working on the same thing; after all most of the sources that are available to one SCA researcher are available to another; and it is -possible- that two independent researchers could come to the same conclusions using the same evidence without any need of stealing.

Now, if they use the diagrams your sister drew in your handout on their website... then it's a bit more suspicious, heh (Did I ever tell you about the time reasie got plagiarized by a Laurel in another kingdom? Fun!)

[florentinescot.livejournal.com]

I think it's Alfred Russell. Linnaeus binomial names was based on somebody elses work too.

[attack-laurel.livejournal.com]

You totally should tell us that story. *evil grin*

(er... assuming it wasn't me that plagarized! I don't remember doing anything like that, but hey...)

[gwacie.livejournal.com]

I remind reasie of it whenever she's feeling insecure ;) "Well, you were good enough to be plagiarized by a Laurel!" heh.

Short form of the story; Lyonnete got an email from Robin Netherton along the lines of "OMG! This laurel is presenting your work on this mailing list as her own! Join the list and smack her down!" Lyonnete joined the list, saw that indeed, it looked an awful lot like her handout from her Pennsic class, emailed the laurel politely asking that she give credit for where she got the info (Dude, she posted the drawings I did for Lyonnete's handout on her website!)

Funny sub-note; she then credited the drawings as by Lyonnete (which was incorrect as they were by me, but hey, funny that she credited the drawings and not the research.) and then added insult to injury by saying something along the lines of "Well, I think you're wrong now anyway and have a new theory." *rolls eyes*

I wonder if her site is still up.... ;)

[florentinescot.livejournal.com]

nods. Encourage her to publish! Post links.

Truthfully, I think it's worse to announce EUREKA! to the world, and then not back it up.

[jillwheezul.livejournal.com]

I think what is happening with the hoarding of information is just a stage of SCA A&S evolution. It can happen for a variety of reasons, but the secret is that as soon as you let out the work you create an atmosphere where people know you are looking for things and they will reciprocate. In my mind that is more useful than any potential dufus that tries to claim my work as your own. In terms of your friend, having only one egg in the basket might make you nervous, but the opening up of oneself as a conduit of knowledge unfetters the mind. Life is too short to stagnate over the piece of slubby silk and there is information out there about it already if people know where to look (my posts on the subject for one). We stand on the shoulders of giants and sharing the information is how the body of knowledge will grow. I think the best thing is to write the report and get people off the "no slubby silk" kick. Then cry "next?!?" and have a follow up on another great topic. It's the publication that reaps the recognition.

In terms of an unworthy Laurel, there is a lot of talk in our kingdom before a offer of peerage happens. While there are a range of skill and levels in our peerage, I doubt that someone would be elevated for plagiarized work, but remember this is really a "club" and not academia per se so elevation by reason of network has been known. In fact, publication would help your friend's own network! What I've seen is as there are more Laurels, the candidate's work comes under greater scrutiny and it's harder to be recognized.

I'd suggest to both of you to get your work out into the open with your names, and be open to commentary and revision. Research is a process and if could never count on the work of others then we would never get very far. The difference is in the proper credit for sources. We should do a better job of teaching proper citation to those in the SCA starting with the documentation process. Sometimes people don't understand it well.

I do support "secret" research in preparation for release of a presentation so that the idea for the paper/project isn't hijacked by someone else. But after you're ready, let it out!

[turdoken.livejournal.com]

I'm with Attack Laurel and Sarafina, more important to do the Marine approach and take credit for the initial research but encourage others to develop it further or on tangents of interest. Award chasers are going to pursue their main hobby whether we share our info. or not, and plagurizers never come out well in the small circles that are the A&S communities, online or not!

The Slavic Interest Group is an excellent example of the power of sharing freely. They shared info and sources freely from the start and you should see the diversity now and database of info. 10+ years later available online! No dirth of awards or titles in that group but all that takes a backseat to love of subject matter and mutual support of research. One of many, any small groups of interest in the bigger panaorama that is the SCA but we are each responsible for leaving our "place" better than we found it> Maybe thats the best PLQ?