>> -----Original Message----- >> From: Rui Miguel Seabra [mailto:rms@xxxxxxxx] >> Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2003 10:12 AM >> >> On Mon, 2003-12-08 at 23:25, Exile In Paradise wrote: >> > Public domain means everyone OWNS it. That is most specifically >> > EXCLUDED from open-source and GNU Free-ish licensing. The >> > presence of licenses and/or copyrights only demonstrates that >> > fact concretely. >> >> Public domain means nobody owns it, but thinking of property is >> starting from the wrong point of view. There are limits to what you can do with even public domain property. For instance, in addition to not claiming ownership (since it is "owned" by no one), you cannot claim authorship unless you are actually the author. Try submitting some public domain literature as original and see where it gets you. Sure, you probably won't be sued by the owner, but you will lose significant credibility. You can freely use public domain works but attribution should either be given or understood (i.e. if I quote from the Gettysburg Address, it is understood that I'm quoting Abraham Lincoln so I don't necessarily have to say so). If I even imply that it is my original work, I'll get into hot water. The quoted portions of my work remain the work of others and any additions I make to them are copyrighted by me until either the copyright expires or I donate it to the public domain. Even if I do release it to the public domain, I'm still the only one who can claim authorship. >> Remember that Free Software becomes public domain at the time >> Copyright says so, just like any non-Free software. However, with >> Free Software you don't have to hope your grandsons might be able >> to use or not some work in a new creative way. You yourself can >> do it right now. If the US Congress has anything to do with it (and they seem to), copyrights will never expire in the US. They will just keep extending them. -- Henry Hartley
