3 ms·

Is public domain a license, or is it no license? I'm wondering the same thing.

• cbd1984 11y ago
  > Is public domain a license, or is it no license? Public domain means nobody owns the copyright to that work. Anyone can use it for any purpose whatsoever, because there's nobody to tell them they can't. So, no, it's not a license. It's putting something in a category where a license wouldn't even make sense.
• dragonwriter 11y ago
  "Public domain" is a legal status. A public domain dedication is a statement intended to create that legal status, but may in legal effect be actually a form of gratuitous license and/or promise not to sue.