copyright issues

[John Denker <jsd@AV8N.COM>]

Zajac, Richard wrote:
> I had been informed that that was illegal, because graph paper was
> copyrighted. .... Does anyone know the true legalities?

I quote from:

http://www.uspto.gov/main/profiles/copyright.htm

> > Copyright is a form of protection provided to the authors of
> > “original works of authorship” including literary, dramatic, musical,
> > artistic, and certain other intellectual works....
> >
> > The copyright protects the form of expression rather than the subject
> > matter of the writing. For example, a description of a machine could
> > be copyrighted, but this would only prevent others from copying the
> > description; it would not prevent others from writing a description
> > of their own or from making and using the machine.

1) Ordinary graph paper is neither sufficiently original
nor sufficiently literary / artistic / intellectual to
qualify for copyright protection.

2) Even if it could have been copyrighted, the copyright
would have long-since expired.

> ... which goes well beyond personal use.

There is nothing in copyright law about "personal use".
There are certain conditions under which you may make
copies of a copyrighted work without obtaining authorization
from the copyright holder, but "personal use" is neither a
necessary nor sufficient condition.  For instance, if you
borrow a copy of _The Bad Beginning_ there is no reason to
think you can make a copy for "personal use".