Path: utzoo!mnetor!tmsoft!torsqnt!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!uflorida!mephisto!prism!gt4662b
From: gt4662b@prism.gatech.EDU (BRANHAM,JOSEPH FRANKLIN)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Copyrights-when do they lapse
Message-ID: <6718@hydra.gatech.EDU>
Date: 6 Mar 90 18:20:06 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology
Lines: 25


 In the Marauder II thread, the question has come up about whether
or not the software has fallen into the public domain. 

My thought is that, naturally, a copyright will remain the property
of the person who originally filed it. Does anyone know if there 
is a limit after which the copyright lapses for software if not 
renewed? I know that movies are protected for about 14 years which 
is why there all all of those silly horror movies in the $3.95 rack
at discount stores.

Another question is what happens when the owner of the copyright dies?
From my best (highly uninformed) guess, this would be similar to the
case of a copyright held by a defunct corporation. The exception would
be if some other company bought the rights.

Has anyone ever waded into this murky bog?

Frank Branham

-- 
<------------------------------------------------------------------------------>
<  FRANK BRANHAM                      | "I exist; therefore I am."             >
<  Georgia Institute of Technology    |       -The Patchwork Quilt             >
<  Internet: gt4662b@prism.gatech.edu |   	by August Derleth              >