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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!bellcore!decvax!decwrl!amdcad!lll-crg!well!tenney
From: tenney@well.UUCP (Glenn S. Tenney)
Newsgroups: net.legal
Subject: Re: retroactive copyrighting ??? JOVE status
Message-ID: <634@well.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 10-Feb-86 13:47:58 EST
Article-I.D.: well.634
Posted: Mon Feb 10 13:47:58 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 12-Feb-86 07:38:06 EST
References: <321@yetti.UUCP>
Reply-To: tenney@well.UUCP (Glenn S. Tenney)
Organization: Whole Earth Lectronic Link, Sausalito CA
Lines: 31
Keywords: copyrights, jove
Summary: Dates are critical

In article <321@yetti.UUCP> oz@yetti.UUCP (Ozan Yigit) writes:
> ...
>A bit of history: Jove was originally written by Payne, during his
>		  years in Lincoln-Sudbury highschool. This software
>		  was later submitted to a usenix tape, I think 1978
>		  or 1979.
>
>		  This distribution states that it is authored by
>		  Jonathan Payne. No copyright notices are included.
> ...

I believe the dates are VERY critical since the new copyright law
regarding computer software went into effect at about that same time.
As I recall if it was before 1978 it is likely in Public Domain.
After 1978, the mere lack of a copyright notice DOES NOT put it into
the Public Domain!  You are supposed to put a notice on, but the
law specifically says that (with the newer law) your omission won't
forfeit your rights.  I think it is more important to note that copies
were widely distributed with the author's knowledge and consent at that
time and without (as I understand) restrictions.  Net result to me, not
an attorney, is those versions distributed back then ARE Public Domain.
Besides, until it is registered in Washington they can't take you to 
Federal Court.  Sorry Jonathan, but your highschool work was probably
given to everyone, but the current stuff can be protected.

-- Glenn Tenney 
UUCP: {hplabs,glacier,lll-crg,ihnp4!ptsfa}!well!tenney
ARPA: well!tenney@LLL-CRG.ARPA
Delphi: TENNEY
As Alphonso Bodoya would say... (tnx boulton)
Disclaimers? DISCLAIMERS!? I don' gotta show you no stinking DISCLAIMERS!