Repair Manual Sharing or Ideas

Jerry/MT · Jun 8, 2012

MasseyWV said:
It's possible, but I doubt it, especially with regard to older manuals that were published prior to 1989, when automatic copyright laws went into effect. It's probably why there are so many older "reproduction" manuals offered for sale by a plethora of different sources on the internet. It seems that everyone with a scanner and a printer or CD/DVD burner is getting into the "reproduction" manuals game.

There don't seem to be nearly as many sources of newer manuals on the internet, probably because they are automatically copyrighted, and people are either afraid of being sued, or have been sued, effectively shutting them down before they become widely distributed.

If reprints of manuals were authorized, it's very likely that there would be a requirement to publish mention of that authorization along with copyright information within the manuals. For instance, manuals I recently purchased from Jenales, then subsequently returned to them, had no mention of any copyright or reproduction authorization, at least there was none that I could find. With regard to the high prices of manuals offered for sale by Jensales, I believe they are intended to produce higher profits, nothing more.

On this subject, we are all long on opinion and short on facts!

MasseyWV · Jun 8, 2012

Jerry/MT said:
On this subject, we are all long on opinion and short on facts!

And I suppose your post was somehow different? Duh! It's a forum, therefore people typically state their... opinions.

Jerry/MT · Jun 9, 2012

MasseyWV said:
And I suppose your post was somehow different? Duh! It's a forum, therefore people typically state their... opinions.

Thank you for those words of wisdom!

The WE includes me, in case you couldn't figure that out.

Next time you send me a PM, a least have the courtesy to open your email!

Rford · Jun 9, 2012

DOH! That's a fair price and straight from the manufacturer...no reason to go to Jensales or ebay etc. which are higher priced.

Rford · Jun 16, 2012

Just got may manual from Yesterday's Tractors.

It is a reproduction of the Massey Service Manual. Here's what it says on the front:

This manual is a manual produced by Jensales Inc. without the authorization of Massey Harris Massey Ferguson or It's successors....

The manual itself does not contain a copyright warning.

Interesting to say the least.

beandip · Jun 16, 2012

Actually you got it pretty good. A new Ford service manual for my 2810 is over 1K. There is a used set on Ebay now for $250 or so, but still to rich for my blood.