Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward
I believe there should be a formal copyright process and repository, and it should not be free. Copyright is, above all, about economic value. Even in the Old West of America, the people who got to keep the land paid to have it surveyed, and registered. By not requiring registration, you get all the "orphan works" problems we are wrestling with now....
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Exactly, and well put. That's why I like a 20 year post publication rule, with the ability to extend if the author is living (or his estate) and chooses to register. If the author makes no attempt, then the work goes PD at the expiry date.
The same would apply to works "created" by a corporation: the existing copyright holder during the original 20 year period can renew, or transfer, every 10 years up to 50 years post publication.
The underlying rule is 20 year post publication with optional 10 year registered renewals up to 50 years for the "protected life" of any work.
If the original author / copyright holder does nothing, he / she / it is signalling there is no economic value to be protected and the work can then gracefully lapse into PD.
The registration body would be "easy": we manage to track Internet domains currently with global and regional bodies. There is no reason a similar process couldn't be created for anyone wishing to protect their material beyond the non-registration initial 20 year period.
All existing rules could gracefully flow into this process with all extant works protected for up to 50 years under this process or less under the old rules.