I really can’t say that I did not see this coming. Speaking as someone who dabbled in the world of comic strips himself, I can understand the frustration of not being paid when someone uses your work without permission. But in defense of Tapestry, United (much like most of the mainstream media) still does not comprehend that people really want visual and audible content delivered to them via RSS.

But I’ve been expecting you too :-) Here’s a comment I received on the blog a few hours ago, from Michael Fry, the co-author of Over the Hedge (which unsurprisingly, has an RSS feed via Tapestry):

As flattered as I am that you’ve included Over the Hedge in your Tapestry RSS feeds, I would like you to cease and desist distributing the strip immediately. As far as I can tell you’re stripping the strip off of United’s website without the advertising that supports it being available in the first place. You are stealing. You are taking money out of my pocket just as surely as if you held a gun to my head and demanded my wallet. By making Hedge so easily and freely available you are undermining the economics that make the comics you so obviously love possible. I don’t work for free and neither do you. Stop denying my right to make a living.

I’m going to forward this note to United Media and ask that they follow up with a cease and desist letter of their own. [Read the rest]