On Wed, Aug 08, 2001 at 09:39:03AM +0200, Alessandro Rubini wrote:
Don't mix the "European Copyright" (at least to my understaning) with the bad english word "Copyright".
Yes, you are right they are different.
I'm not sure you can have a go at the word "copyright" itself! Certainly, though, you are right about the strict UK legal definition of "copyright" - Uk copyright is property, you can buy and sell it, as well as license the rights to use it.
For the same reason it is no possible to have public domain software in Europe....
That's interesting. Could you please expand on this?
I don't think this is the case in the UK. The term 'public domain' has a meaning, although (IIRC) no legal connotation. Public domain works are those on which the copyright has passed, for example, but I believe it is also possible to place works into the public domain. It simply means you rescind your copyright on it, I think, thus making it fair game for anyone.
Cheers,
Alex.
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