K9STH
10-11-2003, 04:00 AM
There have been some major changes made in the Copyright Law of the United States of America (Title 17 - Circular 92) recently. Not only are copyrights now for 95 years after first publishing, but for unpublished works the copyrights are now for 120 years! Also, if the author has not been dead for at least 70 years, the copyright is now in effect for 70 years after the death of the author!
When I obtained my copy of Circular 92 the cost was $8 at the Government Printing Office Book Store. Now the price is $24! However, the entire text of Title 17 is available on the Internet for free at
http://www.copyright.gov/title17/index.html
I suggest taking down the files of the individual chapters, etc., as "TXT". However, these really come down as HTML files. You can supposedly get the entire Title 17 as one PDF file, but I have had nothing but trouble trying to download in that manner. Thus, I took down the individual chapters, ammendments, etc. It actually took considerably less time than trying to take down the entire volume in PDF format.
The Copyright Law was one of the first to be rewritten in "plain English" instead of the "legalize" that the Government is famous for. It is very easy to understand. But, since the Bono Ammendment that was finally approved by the Supreme Court early this year, and with the other changes that have been made in the law within the past year, or so, anyone who even thinks of reproducing articles, photos, software, etc., needs to read the law in its present form. Frankly, although my Circular 92 is very recent, it is "way" out of date in terms of what is now copyright law.
The law now specifically "spells out" things like when an author dies all his/her rights resort to the heirs for a period of 70 years, etc. This was not in the prior wording in my Circular 92.
Anyway, before posting long quotations, stories, etc., that have been found on the Internet it would do everyone a good service to read the copyright law. Unfortunately, there are both items on the Internet that have been posted in violation of copyright law and there are items that have been legally posted but cannot be copied, posted, etc., without the express written permission of the copyright holder.
Glen, K9STH
One of the QRZ.com moderators
When I obtained my copy of Circular 92 the cost was $8 at the Government Printing Office Book Store. Now the price is $24! However, the entire text of Title 17 is available on the Internet for free at
http://www.copyright.gov/title17/index.html
I suggest taking down the files of the individual chapters, etc., as "TXT". However, these really come down as HTML files. You can supposedly get the entire Title 17 as one PDF file, but I have had nothing but trouble trying to download in that manner. Thus, I took down the individual chapters, ammendments, etc. It actually took considerably less time than trying to take down the entire volume in PDF format.
The Copyright Law was one of the first to be rewritten in "plain English" instead of the "legalize" that the Government is famous for. It is very easy to understand. But, since the Bono Ammendment that was finally approved by the Supreme Court early this year, and with the other changes that have been made in the law within the past year, or so, anyone who even thinks of reproducing articles, photos, software, etc., needs to read the law in its present form. Frankly, although my Circular 92 is very recent, it is "way" out of date in terms of what is now copyright law.
The law now specifically "spells out" things like when an author dies all his/her rights resort to the heirs for a period of 70 years, etc. This was not in the prior wording in my Circular 92.
Anyway, before posting long quotations, stories, etc., that have been found on the Internet it would do everyone a good service to read the copyright law. Unfortunately, there are both items on the Internet that have been posted in violation of copyright law and there are items that have been legally posted but cannot be copied, posted, etc., without the express written permission of the copyright holder.
Glen, K9STH
One of the QRZ.com moderators