[1] From: Richard Bear <RBEAR@OREGON.UOREGON.EDU> (4)
Subject: Re: 9.696 copyright?
[2] From: Haradda@aol.com (27)
Subject: Re: 9.696 copyright?
--[1]------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 05 Apr 1996 16:31:35 -0800 (PST)
From: Richard Bear <RBEAR@OREGON.UOREGON.EDU>
Subject: Re: 9.696 copyright?
Ian's sources are correct; Web publishing is publishing in the eyes of the
law, which is currently heavily weighted to benefit traditional publishing
houses. As there is some variety to the rules of thumb current on what is
or is not safe to copy, I would subject anything after the turn of the century to the scrutiny of a loyal copyright attorney.
rbear
--[2]------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 6 Apr 1996 00:30:53 -0500
From: Haradda@aol.com
Subject: Re: 9.696 copyright?
I have seen the announcement of SFWA (Science Fiction Writers of America) on
the extension of copywrite in England and Germany to 70 years after the death
of the writer.
And I have seen what Project Gutenberg has put out about it. They (Project
Gutenberg) is now saying that they are affirming copywrite only as to the
U.S.
As I understand in England and Germany for all intents and purposes the
copywrite remains with the publishing house if it is still in print.If not it
reverts to the estate of the writer. This pulls back into copywrite books
and articles that have been in public domain for twenty years or more.
In the U.S. Joyce is a special case because his books were banned in the
U.S. until the 40's. Prior to that time they were printed in Canada and
England and smuggled into the U.S. I had a teacher who put himself thru
Grad School by amuggling Joyce's books into the U.S. In the U.S. Joyce's
copywrite's have not expired and to my understanding will not until 2000+.
This is not the case to my understanding in Canada where they are in the
public domain and in England until November 1995. They were
There are two bills that are suppose to raise the U.S. copywrite period to
be in line with England and Germany but fortunately they haven't been passed
yet. Senator Hatch (of Utah) is suppose to be one of the main sponsors. I
don't know it that is true because I haven't been able to get anything out of
his office.
I think that these extensions of the copywrite will do any good once a
book has been posted on the internet such has happen with Joyce's books. I
personally have all of Joyce's books as etext but I also have them as paper.
So even though legally I shouldn't technically have them as etext. I can
have them as etext under "fair use copy" because I own the paper books.