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From: jeff@rtech.UUCP (Jeff Lichtman)
Newsgroups: net.news
Subject: Re: public domain and copyright in netnews
Message-ID: <841@rtech.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 25-Jan-86 02:43:31 EST
Article-I.D.: rtech.841
Posted: Sat Jan 25 02:43:31 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 26-Jan-86 05:32:12 EST
References: <3273@glacier.ARPA> <147@ubc-cs.UUCP> <3424@glacier.ARPA>
Organization: Relational Technology, Alameda CA
Lines: 20

> 
> It is absolutely false that material posted to USENET is automatically in
> the public domain. Perhaps in Canada (where ubc-cs is) that is true, but in
> the United States all published material is automatically the copyright of
> the author whether or not it has the "Copyright (C) 1986 XXXX" mark on it.
> -- 
> 	Brian Reid	decwrl!glacier!reid

According to William S. Strong in "The Copyright Book" (MIT Press), an author
forfeits copyright if he or she publishes it without affixing a copyright
notice.  Before 1978, a work was protected under common law if it was not
published or registered with the Copyright Office.  The 1978 law protects
most unpublished works under federal law.  Strong is a copyright lawyer, so
I think he knows what he's talking about.
-- 
Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.)
"Saints should always be judged guilty until they are proved innocent..."

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