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The Berlin Egyptian Museum’s scan of the Bust of Nefertiti (2017)

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Re: The Berlin Egyptian Museum’s scan of the Bust of Nefertiti (2017)

#21
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Found one, unfortunately it's in German only: https://www.preussischer-kulturbesitz.de/en/news-detail/arti...

Two arguments: We never intended the scanned data to be a "product", but simply created it as an intermediate step in the masking process. Also, the taxpayer expects us to alleviate his burden by trying to make at least some money, and the FOIA requestor declined to promise non-commercial use.

"the taxpayer expects us to alleviate his burden by trying to make at least some money, and the FOIA requestor declined to promise non-commercial use. "

Yes and the taxpayers will be happy, that they hired one of the most expensive law firms, to protect their amazing 5000 euro revenue.

"SPK confirmed it had earned less than 5,000 euro, total, from marketing the Nefertiti scan, or any other scan for that matter"

"Instead, SPK made arrangements for me to inspect the scan at the Los Angeles office of the law firm WilmerHale, one of the most expensive, well-connected law firms in the world."

Re: The Berlin Egyptian Museum’s scan of the Bust of Nefertiti (2017)

#22

Previous: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26935781 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21558805 3D stl model @ Archive.org: https://archive.org/details/NefertitiHack3D

Thanks! Macroexpanded:

What the “Nefertiti Hack” Tells Us About Digital Colonialism - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28978089 - Oct 2021 (2 comments)

A Museum Tried to Hide This 3D Scan of an Iconic Egyptian Artifact. (2019) - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26935781 - April 2021 (4 comments)

The Neues Museum claims copyright over 3D-printing files of the Nefertiti bust - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21670786 - Nov 2019 (92 comments)

Official scan of Bust of Nefertiti released after three years of stonewalling - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21558805 - Nov 2019 (13 comments)

The Making of Nefertiti 1kb (2018) - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18869904 - Jan 2019 (20 comments)

There’s Something Fishy About the Other Nefertiti - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11238921 - March 2016 (91 comments)

Artists Covertly Scan Bust of Nefertiti and Release the Data for Free Online - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11141840 - Feb 2016 (84 comments)

Re: The Berlin Egyptian Museum’s scan of the Bust of Nefertiti (2017)

#23
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Two arguments: We never intended the scanned data to be a "product", but simply created it as an intermediate step in the masking process. Also, the taxpayer expects us to alleviate his burden by trying to make at least some money, and the FOIA requestor declined to promise non-commercial use.

"the taxpayer expects us to alleviate his burden by trying to make at least some money, and the FOIA requestor declined to promise non-commercial use. " Yes and the taxpayers will be happy, that they hired one of the most expensive law firms, to protect their amazing 5000 euro revenue. "SPK confirmed it had earned less than 5,000 euro, total, from marketing the Nefertiti scan, or any other scan for that matter" "Inst…

I wonder if a FOIA would show the lawyers cost more than the revenue?

Re: The Berlin Egyptian Museum’s scan of the Bust of Nefertiti (2017)

#24
post #22

Previous: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26935781 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21558805 3D stl model @ Archive.org: https://archive.org/details/NefertitiHack3D

Thanks! Macroexpanded: What the “Nefertiti Hack” Tells Us About Digital Colonialism - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28978089 - Oct 2021 (2 comments) A Museum Tried to Hide This 3D Scan of an Iconic Egyptian Artifact. (2019) - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26935781 - April 2021 (4 comments) The Neues Museum claims copyright over 3D-printing files of the Nefertiti bust - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?…

Feel free to delete my comment you replied to (with yours superseding it) as well as this one, and take the archive org link for your own comment if desired. Merry Christmas! Thank you!

Re: The Berlin Egyptian Museum’s scan of the Bust of Nefertiti (2017)

#25

This is great! Has it been uploaded to Wikimedia Commons yet?

Commons does not permit works that have the NC restriction.

Commons does, however, allow scans of 2D public domain works that have "scarecrow" copyright claims in light of Bridgeman v. Corel (which ruled that such scans/photos can have no copyright in the US due to a lack of original creative content).

Commons doesn't accept 2D photos of 3D works because these photos' lighting, positioning, etc. choices can give them original creative content. But a 3D scan isn't likely to contain such creative choices. It may be annoying to make one, but the US does not have "sweat of the brow" copyright.

Re: The Berlin Egyptian Museum’s scan of the Bust of Nefertiti (2017)

#26

I have some experience with bringing museum exhibits online, and unfortunately this experience is total standard. Museums think they own their artefacts, and they want to control who gets to "publish" them. Typically museums have a few archaeologists that they have close ties with who get the privilege of publishing stuff. If some random person comes along, god forbid from abroad, they will try everything to stop you…

Yep, I work in this area and museums/libraries often believe that they have the right to prevent you from using the creative works whose originals they physically hold. This is usually not the case. And in the vast majority of countries, digitizations of at least 2D works aren't able to be copyrighted.

Re: The Berlin Egyptian Museum’s scan of the Bust of Nefertiti (2017)

#27

I have some experience with bringing museum exhibits online, and unfortunately this experience is total standard. Museums think they own their artefacts, and they want to control who gets to "publish" them. Typically museums have a few archaeologists that they have close ties with who get the privilege of publishing stuff. If some random person comes along, god forbid from abroad, they will try everything to stop you…

Yep, I work in this area and museums/libraries often believe that they have the right to prevent you from using the creative works whose originals they physically hold. This is usually not the case. And in the vast majority of countries, digitizations of at least 2D works aren't able to be copyrighted.

Exactly. You can go into a museum, take a photo, and do with it whatever you want, legally, even though the museum usually claims that you need their permission to publish it.

The problem is of course that you can't take photos of stuff that isn't exhibited, so you need to get their permission to check out the stuff in the basement.

Re: The Berlin Egyptian Museum’s scan of the Bust of Nefertiti (2017)

#29

I remember trying to photograph the real bust (no flash of course) and a guard stepping in the way telling me it's prohibited.

That’s funny: I remember seeing it in the mid-to-late 90s and being amazed at how lax the security was. I took several pics and walked all around it.

Re: The Berlin Egyptian Museum’s scan of the Bust of Nefertiti (2017)

#30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Commons does not permit works that have the NC restriction.

Commons does, however, allow scans of 2D public domain works that have "scarecrow" copyright claims in light of Bridgeman v. Corel (which ruled that such scans/photos can have no copyright in the US due to a lack of original creative content). Commons doesn't accept 2D photos of 3D works because these photos' lighting, positioning, etc. choices can give them original creative content. But a 3D scan isn't likely to co…

The Nefertiti Bust is a 3D work, and as you can see yourself, its scans are not available on Commons:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Nefertiti_Bust

To be clear, I think the copyright claims are bullshit and it totally should be there, but Commons is very, very conservative in what it allows.

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