4 ms·
At the risk of nit-picking, if the work was written more that 100 years ago, then the copyright has almost certainly already expired (barring some quite rare ci
by floathub 5y ago
At the risk of nit-picking, if the work was written more that 100 years ago, then the copyright has almost certainly already expired (barring some quite rare circumstances).
Nothing preventing you from publishing it, and a useful forward or other newly written content would, of course, be automatically copyrighted (copyrights, at least in the US, only need to be "registered" if you want to sue someone :-)
- JoeAltmaier 5y agoIf it's not been published, then why would it not be copyrightable now? I don't understand. Who knows when it was first written? Is that even important?
- nicwolff 5y agoI would love the advice of a copyright attorney about this! It was never published, so under current US copyright law https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/303 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/303 I think it is protected until 70 years after Pop's death in 1983. But I guess we'll find out for sure in a few months – I just submitted a registration application ツ
- floathub 5y agoI'm a long way from a (copyright) attorney, so I really don't know what I'm talking about on the finer points. In general, of course, the act of creating is what currently confers copyright. So if you write some code, for example, you automatically hold the copyright. No need to do anything official or call a lawyer. But you're correct that there are exceptions for older works that were never published or formally registered under the old (pre-1978 system). So yup, my (pretty much worthless) opinion agrees with your reading that it would be 70 years after 1983. And who knows, the Mighty Mouse might might well rise up again as 2024 approaches (the current date when Mickey Mouse will otherwise enter the public domain). But
- nicwolff 5y agoPS. floathub.com is brilliant!