A fact question

jbcohen · 04-01-2011, 12:25 PM

What is the copyright period for a paperback book? For a hardback if they differ.

mr ploppy · 04-01-2011, 12:34 PM

Depends where you live. In the UK it's 70 years after the writer snuffs.

jbcohen · 04-01-2011, 12:36 PM

Snuffs? you mean purchases a farm? Knocks a bucket?

HarryT · 04-01-2011, 12:41 PM

In most western countries, a copyrighted work enter the public domain at the start of the year following the 70th anniversary of the author's death. Eg, if you were to die today, anything you'd written would remain protected by copyright until 1st Jan 2082.

In a few countries (eg Canada), the period is 50 years after the author's death.

In a VERY few countries, it's different. Eg, Mexico has a copyright period of life + 100 years.

jbcohen · 04-01-2011, 12:43 PM

And while the author is still alive?

tponzo · 04-01-2011, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbcohen

And while the author is still alive?

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that rights remain with the writer as long as they live.

HarryT · 04-01-2011, 12:46 PM

What about it? I told you: copyright exists from the moment the work is created until the start of the year following the 70th (or 50th, for Canada) anniversary of the author's death.

tubemonkey · 04-01-2011, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbcohen

Snuffs? you mean purchases a farm? Knocks a bucket?

Yep, except for HarperCollins. Copyright for them is 26 lifetimes.

MartinC · 04-01-2011, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbcohen

What is the copyright period for a paperback book? For a hardback if they differ.

Copyright has nothing to do with publication - a work is copyright as soon as the author types the words on the page. According to Wikipedia copyright "arises on fixation", which is a nice phrase - it is the expression of the ideas which creates the copyright.

An author may transfer his/her rights to someone else, but as far as I know the duration (in the UK) is still author's life +70 years, as HarryT says.

mr ploppy · 04-01-2011, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbcohen

And while the author is still alive?

Depends if they're Harry Harrison or not.

Penforhire · 04-01-2011, 04:04 PM

Or Walt Disney

dwig · 04-01-2011, 06:55 PM

It varies with the jurisdiction. Here's a reasonably complete table:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...pyright_length

JeremyR · 04-01-2011, 09:25 PM

In the US, until relatively recently, copyright had to be renewed. So that's why a lot of stuff that otherwise would be copyrighted by current rules, isn't.

kennyc · 04-01-2011, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Yep, except for HarperCollins. Copyright for them is 26 lifetimes.

wait.....that's not funny!

SensualPoet · 04-01-2011, 09:29 PM

Interestingly, Canada's copyright law -- last revised in 1997 -- will AGAIN not be revised because we've entered an election and all legislation before Parliament or in committee "dies". Three serious attempts to bring forward new legislation have expired this way. It's good for books, as far as I am concerned: 50 years after an author's death is already far more protection than is needed.

Personally, I'd like to see a 20 year window on copyright from the date of creation/publication and automatic transfer to public domain UNLESS the owner of the creation renews with a national registry ... for 20 year terms and a maximum of two renewals. That would protect an individual creative act for up to sixty years -- surely enough time for a creator to derive fair value for. And works that were NOT deemed commercially worth protecting would gracefully become part of the public domain.

04-01-2011, 12:25 PM	#1
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,032 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	A fact question What is the copyright period for a paperback book? For a hardback if they differ.

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04-01-2011, 12:34 PM	#2
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	Depends where you live. In the UK it's 70 years after the writer snuffs.

04-01-2011, 12:36 PM	#3
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,032 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	Snuffs? you mean purchases a farm? Knocks a bucket?

04-01-2011, 12:41 PM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	In most western countries, a copyrighted work enter the public domain at the start of the year following the 70th anniversary of the author's death. Eg, if you were to die today, anything you'd written would remain protected by copyright until 1st Jan 2082. In a few countries (eg Canada), the period is 50 years after the author's death. In a VERY few countries, it's different. Eg, Mexico has a copyright period of life + 100 years.

04-01-2011, 12:43 PM	#5
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,032 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	And while the author is still alive?

04-01-2011, 12:46 PM	#7
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	What about it? I told you: copyright exists from the moment the work is created until the start of the year following the 70th (or 50th, for Canada) anniversary of the author's death.

04-01-2011, 04:04 PM	#11
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	Or Walt Disney

04-01-2011, 06:55 PM	#12
dwig Wizard Posts: 1,613 Karma: 6718541 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Paradise (Key West, FL) Device: Current:Surface Go & Kindle 3 - Retired: DellV8p, Clie UX50, ...	It varies with the jurisdiction. Here's a reasonably complete table: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...pyright_length

04-01-2011, 09:25 PM	#13
JeremyR Guru Posts: 973 Karma: 2458402 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: St. Louis Device: Kindle Keyboard, Nook HD+	In the US, until relatively recently, copyright had to be renewed. So that's why a lot of stuff that otherwise would be copyrighted by current rules, isn't.

04-01-2011, 09:29 PM	#15
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	Interestingly, Canada's copyright law -- last revised in 1997 -- will AGAIN not be revised because we've entered an election and all legislation before Parliament or in committee "dies". Three serious attempts to bring forward new legislation have expired this way. It's good for books, as far as I am concerned: 50 years after an author's death is already far more protection than is needed. Personally, I'd like to see a 20 year window on copyright from the date of creation/publication and automatic transfer to public domain UNLESS the owner of the creation renews with a national registry ... for 20 year terms and a maximum of two renewals. That would protect an individual creative act for up to sixty years -- surely enough time for a creator to derive fair value for. And works that were NOT deemed commercially worth protecting would gracefully become part of the public domain.

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