I publish a news-letter electronically, and rather than taking the time to
ask around for many permissions for reprint rights, I summarize in my own
words the items of interest (or sometimes I'll phone a specialist in that
area and quote *their* impromptu summary), and then cite the source if
readers want the original.  Also, at least here in the States, there's a
"fair use" law which says that brief selected quotes may be reproduced
without permission (to facilitate news journalism), so that helps my
summarizing.
 
Yes, it would be easier to scan a lot of stuff from commercial sources and
then just put it online, but that can lead to problems.  There is a weekly
newspaper I follow which had a series of articles of particular interest,
and I was thinking of scanning them and putting them online.  I happenned
to be talking to the newspaper publisher about another matter and he
mentioned that they were going to be gathering that series of articles
together to be published as a book.  I am so glad I didn't pre-empt him with
my scanned version, else there'd have been a real problem!
 
-- Roger Burns   [log in to unmask]
   Publisher/Editor, CFS-NEWS Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Electronic Newsletter
   on LISTSERV at NIHLIST.BITNET or LIST.NIH.GOV