Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!bloom-beacon!gatech!rebel!george
From: george@rebel.UUCP (George M. Sipe)
Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: MEAN18 AUTHOR REPLIES TO POSTING:
Message-ID: <29458@rebel.UUCP>
Date: 16 Mar 88 16:18:04 GMT
References: <235400004@prism> <235400005@prism> <2963@pbhyf.UUCP>
Reply-To: george@rebel.UUCP (George M. Sipe)
Organization: Tolerant Systems, Atlanta GA
Lines: 30

In article <2963@pbhyf.UUCP> che@pbhyf.UUCP (823-2454-Mitch Che) writes:
>What?  Copyright and public distribution have nothing to do with each other.
>I can choose to distribute material that I have copyrighted in the public
>domain.  I do not have to give up "copyrights" (so to speak) to place
>something in the public domain.

WRONG - dead WRONG.  When something is placed in the public domain, you
give up ALL rights to it (well, actually you give everyone equal rights
with you - to use, modify, redistribute, claim it as their own, even to
add their own copyright to a derived work).

You can, if you like, copyright something and allow free use under terms
you specify.  There is no conflict between copyright, public distribution,
and free use.

If you distribute something as public domain, later distribute an improved
version under copyright, then only your changes are covered.  Anyone can
still distribute the original form as public domain software or distribute
a modified form of the original under THEIR copyright.

In the event that you put both "public domain" and "copyright" on the
same work, you'd probably have a very difficult time defending your
copyright (it's probably invalid).

Disclaimer:  I'm not a lawyer, check with one if you need to depend on
this information.  (Although, I believe you'll find it correct.)
-- 
George M. Sipe,		Phone: (404) 662-1533
Tolerant Systems, 6961 Peachtree Industrial, Norcross, GA  30071
UUCP: ...!{decvax,hplabs,ihnp4,linus,rutgers,seismo}!gatech!rebel!george