gast@maui.cs.ucla.edu (David Gast) (03/02/91)
In article <1991Feb25.130709.11347@ims.alaska.edu> floyd@ims.alaska.edu (Floyd Davidson) writes: >In article <9121@buster.UUCP> rabbit@buster.UUCP (Dr. Roger Rabbit) writes: >[...] >A collection of material, be it public domain or usenet articles, >can be copyrighted by the whoever puts the collection together. >It is a valid copyright, for the collection. If something in >the collection is otherwise distributed by someone otherwise >authorized to distribute it there is no violation of the >copyright for the collection. Well, if I understand what you are saying, I can take a bunch of copyrighted software, make a collection of these pieces of software, copyright it, and sell it. I think this statement is completely false. I can only include a piece in the collection if I have the permission of the copyright owners for that piece. After obtaining that permission, then I can copyright the collection. David
johnl@iecc.cambridge.ma.us (John R. Levine) (03/03/91)
In article <1991Mar2.030943.1970@cs.ucla.edu> you write: >In article <1991Feb25.130709.11347@ims.alaska.edu> floyd@ims.alaska.edu (Floyd Davidson) writes: >>In article <9121@buster.UUCP> rabbit@buster.UUCP (Dr. Roger Rabbit) writes: >>[...] > >>A collection of material, be it public domain or usenet articles, >>can be copyrighted by the whoever puts the collection together. >Well, if I understand what you are saying, I can take a bunch of copyrighted >software, make a collection of these pieces of software, copyright it, >and sell it [but that's not true.] Anyone who cares about copyright should read any of the many books on the topic. In this particular case, both of the people above are correct. It is true that you can make a copyrighted compilation of public domain material. (Indeed, I'm doing just that with the printed comp.compilers 1990 annual.) It is also true that to make a derivatave work of a copyrighted work, you need the permission of the original copyright owner. Sheesh. Regards, John Levine, johnl@iecc.cambridge.ma.us, {spdcc|ima|world}!iecc!johnl
floyd@ims.alaska.edu (Floyd Davidson) (03/03/91)
In article <1991Mar2.030943.1970@cs.ucla.edu> gast@maui.cs.ucla.edu (David Gast) writes: >In article <1991Feb25.130709.11347@ims.alaska.edu> floyd@ims.alaska.edu (Floyd Davidson) writes: >>In article <9121@buster.UUCP> rabbit@buster.UUCP (Dr. Roger Rabbit) writes: >>[...] In case it is not clear, the following is what I said: >>A collection of material, be it public domain or usenet articles, >>can be copyrighted by the whoever puts the collection together. >>It is a valid copyright, for the collection. If something in >>the collection is otherwise distributed by someone otherwise >>authorized to distribute it there is no violation of the >>copyright for the collection. > >Well, if I understand what you are saying, I can take a bunch of >copyrighted software, make a collection of these pieces of >software, copyright it, and sell it. I think this statement is >completely false. I can only include a piece in the collection >if I have the permission of the copyright owners for that piece. >After obtaining that permission, then I can copyright the >collection. >David You missed what I said. I guess. Because what you said is *exactly* the same thing. If you have permission to include the copyrighted material in your collection you can indeed copyright the collection. If the material is in the public domain, you indeed have that permission. I don't see what is so confusing about that. Floyd -- Floyd L. Davidson | floyd@ims.alaska.edu | Alascom, Inc. pays me Salcha, AK 99714 | Univ. of Alaska | but not for opinions.