copyright fair-use
Is it copyright infringement to transcribe text from a math textbook and show it to people
<p>If I take a math textbook and transcribe some of its text to obtain a pdf copy, is this copyright infringement?
Would I be able to show my transcribed pdf copy to other people or post it online?</p>
<p>Actually when I read a book I create a pdf document that has notes on what I read.  The first step is usually to transcribe the text.  Afterwards I will modify the text to aid my understanding of the content.  I will then use the pdf document as a reference so that I don't have to rely on the book itself.   It is easier to recall and remember what I read by reading the notes than reading the original book.  I'm essentially replacing the book with my new version.  I was wondering if sharing the notes with someone would be problematic.</p>

<p>Such transcription is making a copy without permission. It <strong>could</strong>, therefore, constitute copyright infringement. If you had simply saved your own notes on the content to a PDF, and those notes did not contain any of the original content there would not be  any infringement.</p>
<p>However, such a copy, made purely for personal study, would probably fall under fair use (in the US) or fair dealing (in the UK and other commonwealth countries). It might fall under one of the exceptions similar to fair dealing that the Berne Convention allows countries to include in their laws, and that many countries have included.</p>
<p>But once a person starts distributing such a copy to others, the fair use or fair dealing claim becomes weaker. Publishing it, including via the internet, would make such claims weaker yet. Whether they would be upheld in such a situation depends on the detailed facts of the case, and the view of the particular court.</p>
