[GrannyGrump]

[groan] another copyright question.

Copyright laws in some countries seem to say (if I am understanding it, and I might not be) that a work that is published **for the first time** AFTER the author has died takes its copyright beginning from that publication date, and will go into public domain depending on that publication date, not from the death date of the author.

My question is this --- if something has been printed in a periodical BEFORE the author died, is that considered the first publication date? and if the author has been dead for 100 years, wouldn't that item be public domain?

If someone later reprints that article after the author dies, does the original text remain in public domain, or does the new editor get to claim copyright over it (it was never published in a book previously, only newspapers or magazines.)

I ask because I don't want to infringe on any legitimate copyright.

Any advice for me? I need someone to confirm if my interpretation is correct....