use Disclaimer::IANAL;
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My understanding is that everything that you say (or write, type, etc.) is copyrighted. Consequently, your words can only be repeated either with your permission, or in the context of fair use. (It's also worth noting that, unlike patents, copyright doesn't prevent independant creation, e.g. if I, in Ohio, say "Hello", and Bob, in California and not having heard me, says "Hello" five minutes later, it's not infringement, and we both have copyright on what we said. Of course, this examle is invalid, because something as trivial as "Hello" couldn't be copyrighted.)

Fair use is, of course, a complicated, vague concept. However, it's generally held that short quotations are acceptable. Everything else is not well defined.

To wit, this is legally on solid ground (though it's rather rude):

"Monk XYZ is a big dork, because he said, 'blah blah Perl blah blah blah Java'"!

Whereas this is potentially (again, the law isn't very clear) a case of copyright infringement.

"Hey, I just got flamed by MONK XYZ! Look at what he said!

> Dear So-and-so
>
> You suck! Blah blah blah. Blah blah blah.
> Blah blah blah. Blah blah blah.
> Blah blah blah. Blah blah blah.
> Blah blah blah. Blah blah blah.
> Blah blah blah. Blah blah blah.
> - Me

Though it's certainly possible that Monk XYZ would be proud of the flame, and wouldn't mind you repeating it.

--
Ryan Koppenhaver, Aspiring Perl Hacker
"I ask for so little. Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave."

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