Re: Copyright Expiration ?

--- In [email protected], joseph h <joe9438@...> wrote:
>
> 
> 
> On 02/08/2012 5:04 AM, Dave wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In [email protected] 
> > <mailto:ebook-community%40yahoogroups.com>, joseph h <joe9438@> wrote:
> >
> <snip>
> >
> > >
> > > And yes, there are many vigorous arguments about what copyright term 
> > and
> > > management might be changed to, but the current law is the one that
> > > operates at the moment.
> > >
> > > Joseph Harris
> > >
> > >
> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > >I have some general knowledge of the current US copyright law. I was 
> > asking about potential changes to the law. If one limits the period 
> > during which rights are protected one must provide a renewal mechanism 
> > or, among others, you will have some extremely irate corporations who 
> > own own fallow copyrights that they might want to reuse.
> >
> 
> It is very unlikely the US would make any major changes unilaterally; it 
> is now signatory to Berne, as well as belonging to WIPO and itself 
> insisting on observance of international IP rules in trade agreements. 
> The only major change in the past 20 years was the lengthening of 
> post-life protection to 70 years.
> 
> Copyright is pretty standard now internationally, with rights applying  
> for the lifetime of the creator, but varying from 50 to 90 years for 
> heirs. Terms for companies - Disney for example - are different.  There 
> is no option for a rights owner to vary the term, but obviously owners 
> of their individual rights can licence or give them away or exercise 
> them on any terms they choose.
> 
> Trade Marks are a different IP, where renewal is part of the process. 
> Renewal for copyright no longer operates anywhere, so far as I know.
> 
> As I said, there are vigorous discussions about term, and have been for 
> as long as I've been interested in the area. In my opinion, the nature 
> of the protection is such that one could not apply different terms to 
> the right to control the issue of copies; which I think you were 
> suggesting between print and digital.
> 
> However, that said, I know of no logic or set of basic assumptions that 
> supports any particular term. The trend, since since author rights were 
> introduced in the Queen Anne Act at the beginning of the eighteenth 
> century, has been to make protection longer. Berne, about midway between 
> then and now, started at life plus 50.
> 
> If you do have a good argument to support your idea I would certainly be 
> interested in it.
> 
> Joseph Harris
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
My only reason for suggesting a limited term was to make orphan works more accessible. Please note that I originally suggested that such limit would only to apply out of print. Presumably this will not happen with ebooks.

Regarding the need for a renewal mechanism I think you made my point with Disney.  And others with similar similar assets - i.e. the recent (relatively) resurrection of Betty Boop.

I raised this question as an avid reader who is not involved in publishing. I'm encouraged that the flogged horse isn't dead but sorry  that you feel it isn't going anywhere soon.



------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------
Post a message:   ebook-community [[at]] *
Unsubscribe:      ebook-community-unsubscribe [[at]] *
Switch to digest: ebook-community-digest [[at]] *
Switch to normal: ebook-community-normal [[at]] *
Put mail on hold: ebook-community-nomail [[at]] *
Administrator:    ebook-community-owner [[at]] *

(* == yahoogroups.com)
-------------------------------------------------------Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ebook-community/

<*> Your email settings:
    Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ebook-community/join
    (Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
    [email protected] 
    ebook-community-fullfeatured-hHKSG33TihhbjbujkaE4pw@public.gmane.org

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    ebook-community-unsubscribe-hHKSG33TihhbjbujkaE4pw@public.gmane.org

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/