3 ms·
It's not a "quirk" in copyright law or a "loophole" — books before 1964 had a 28 years copyright period, which could be renewed and many authors didn't do that.
by norswap 7y ago
It's not a "quirk" in copyright law or a "loophole" — books before 1964 had a 28 years copyright period, which could be renewed and many authors didn't do that. It was "secret" because up to recently it was difficult to find out whether the copyright was renewed, but now the information is easily available (it was always public, as far as I understand).
- black_puppydog 7y agoagreed. the language right there makes it seem as if this is some nefarious stuff happening. as if ridiculously overblown copyright terms are somehow a natural default state.