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From: johnl@iecc.cambridge.ma.us (John R. Levine)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: Copyright
Message-ID: <9103030133.AA06842@iecc.cambridge.ma.us>
Date: 3 Mar 91 06:33:53 GMT
References: <9102212241.01@rmkhome.UUCP> <9121@buster.UUCP> <1991Feb25.130709.11347@ims.alaska.edu>
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Organization: I.E.C.C.
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In-Reply-To: <1991Mar2.030943.1970@cs.ucla.edu>

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