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From: chuq@sun.uucp (Chuq Von Rospach)
Newsgroups: net.news,net.sources
Subject: Re: copyright notice
Message-ID: <3170@sun.uucp>
Date: Fri, 17-Jan-86 15:13:25 EST
Article-I.D.: sun.3170
Posted: Fri Jan 17 15:13:25 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 19-Jan-86 04:40:14 EST
References: <1536@wanginst.UUCP> <1073@ecsvax.UUCP>
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Xref: watmath net.news:4534 net.sources:4150

[I've redirected future followups to net.news, since this DOESN'T belong 
 in net.sources]

> >*                      ShareWare Copyright Notice                        *
> >*               Copyright I.M. Author.    month day, year                *
> >*                                                                        *
> >* In recognition of the contributions of those who have gone before, and *
> >* to encourage those who will follow, the attached software is placed in *
> >* The Public Domain.    /s/  I. M. Author  month day, year               *
> 
> William says this lets the author retain copyright while permitting the
> work to be freely copied.  I'm pretty sure that's not the case.  If you
> "place something in the public domain" you have just given up your
> copyright, by definition of "public domain."  Far safer is to say
> "permission is hereby granted to copy and use this work except for
> profit" or words to that effect.

Copyright and public domain are mutually exclusive terms. You can't do
both.. You **SHOULD** be able to copyright and allow redistribution for
non-commercial purposes but I haven't seen any case that set this
precedent. Be VERY careful how you define your terms. "Public domain"
is a well defined legal term, and if you call something that the lawyers 
will assume that you give up ALL rights regardless of what you meant.

> Incidentally, Americans should note that if you put a copyright notice
> on something you are legally obligated to send a copy to the Library of
> Congress *whether or not you choose to register your copyright claim*!

I've never seen that requirement, and I'd love to see where it came from (have
they changed copyrights when I wasn't looking?) Last I looked, you didn't even
have to publish something to copyright it, much less ship a copy anywhere. You
only need to register a work if you think you are going to have to file a
claim, otherwise you don't need to do anything to copyright.
-- 
:From catacombs of Castle Tarot:        Chuq Von Rospach 
sun!chuq@decwrl.DEC.COM                 {hplabs,ihnp4,nsc,pyramid}!sun!chuq

It's not looking, it's heat seeking.