Truth is we are in unexplored territory in using posts in newsgroups in
newsletters. If you write a letter to another, is it then their property?
When you post, is it the same as a letter to the group and therefor the
groups property? It will be interesting to see how this falls out,
especially since copyright law seems to be for the monetary protection of
the author. And if someone posts in a forem, such as this, are they giving
up such rights? I don't know.
 But for out Maine State newsletter, I send an email to the poster, if I
use the post as an article, and ask permisson. I have never been turned
down. I also send a copy of the newsletter with the article to the author
when I publish it.
But there are times when I use parts of a post in an article, usually
dealing with different ways to do something. Then I sometimes attribute and
sometimes not, depends if the comment is common or uncommon and new- for
instance  two queen systems or a new way to treat for varroa. The first will
probably not get attributes, since you can get the same info from a variety
of sources, but the second will get an attribute because it is new and
novel.
I will have an article in the next newsletter on bee excapes and the results
of my trials. I will probably use a few quotes- all non-attributed, just
taken from the internet- because it is not new, just the different opinions
of beekeepers around the world.
But I did get permission for a tanging article, for a hive beetle article,
for a bees in war article... you get the picture.
My guess is that posts to newsgroups on the internet will probably not be
covered by copyright law unless so noted in the message, not the other way
around. But courtesy should always be the guide. Not the law or lack therof.
 
Bill Truesdell
Bath, ME