Why I came here?

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by CyberRArchiver

Fine! At least the copyright for those two lost interactive Geronimo Stilton eBooks has apparently been expired (according to a friend's research). Also, the validity of the ISBN for Geronimo Stilton's Illustrated Tails remains lost to this day (almost) while the ISBN for the other one, Geronimo Stilton's Humorous Tails, remains lost.

I am interested in looking for them because they had interactive features like an inbuilt dictionary, viewing character profiles, animated illustrations and music and other advanced features which may never be seen again.

This is one of the only two images depicting the eBooks (always the cover only) in the hands of a little girl's eBook Reader photographed for an Italian newspaper in 2001.

I hope the eBooks get found soon along with other pieces of lost media, eBook or not!

Well, has anyone contacted the copyright holder for Geronimo Stilton books? What have they got to say about this?

[CyberRArchiver]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Well, has anyone contacted the copyright holder for Geronimo Stilton books? What have they got to say about this?

They didn't respond at all when some of our subreddit's team members did.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by CyberRArchiver

They didn't respond at all when some of our subreddit's team members did.

But then it's not certain the books are lost. The copyright holders may have copies. Or the author may have. Or the translator, if the books were translated. And why do you think the copyright has expired? The author is alive, according to Wikipedia.

There are lots of ebooks that are no longer sold. That doesn't necessarily mean they're lost or out of copyright. Just that they're no longer available for the general public.

[CyberRArchiver]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

But then it's not certain the books are lost. The copyright holders may have copies. Or the author may have. Or the translator, if the books were translated. And why do you think the copyright has expired? The author is alive, according to Wikipedia.

There are lots of ebooks that are no longer sold. That doesn't necessarily mean they're lost or out of copyright. Just that they're no longer available for the general public.

But they are not even mentioned on the official website for Geronimo Stilton, that's the problem.

When I mean the copyright has expired, I mean only those eBooks, not the entire Geronimo Stilton brand in general. I also contacted the author (Elisabetta Dami) a year ago but she said she can't remember anything.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by CyberRArchiver

But they are not even mentioned on the official website for Geronimo Stilton, that's the problem.

When I mean the copyright has expired, I mean only those eBooks, not the entire Geronimo Stilton brand in general. I also contacted the author (Elisabetta Dami) a year ago but she said she can't remember anything.

Copyright in ebooks won't expire before any other work by the author.

I'm glad to hear you've contacted the author. I suggest you ask her permission to find/obtain copies of these ebooks.

Some publisher will have caused the creation of the ebooks. And some ebook creator will have made them. Perhaps the people who ran CyberRead will still have records about the people who supplied the book to them?

I expect that tracking down the creator of the ebooks is more likely to result in them being recovered than just hoping to find them "in the wild".

Best of luck.

[CyberRArchiver]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Copyright in ebooks won't expire before any other work by the author.

I'm glad to hear you've contacted the author. I suggest you ask her permission to find/obtain copies of these ebooks.

Some publisher will have caused the creation of the ebooks. And some ebook creator will have made them. Perhaps the people who ran CyberRead will still have records about the people who supplied the book to them?

I expect that tracking down the creator of the ebooks is more likely to result in them being recovered than just hoping to find them "in the wild".

Best of luck.

I did ask her but she couldn't find any copies of them. That's the problem.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by CyberRArchiver

I did ask her but she couldn't find any copies of them. That's the problem.

So the author doesn't have a copy. But if you can find out which publisher authorised their production, or the company that actually originated them, you might be able to track down a copy.

[CyberRArchiver]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

So the author doesn't have a copy. But if you can find out which publisher authorised their production, or the company that actually originated them, you might be able to track down a copy.

Edizioni Piemme

They couldn't help either. As of today, it still owns Geronimo Stilton.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

But then it's not certain the books are lost. The copyright holders may have copies. Or the author may have. Or the translator, if the books were translated. And why do you think the copyright has expired? The author is alive, according to Wikipedia.

There are lots of ebooks that are no longer sold. That doesn't necessarily mean they're lost or out of copyright. Just that they're no longer available for the general public.

Yes.
The copyright is unlikely to have expired on any of these ebooks unless they were PD content or the Author died long before the ebooks were made.

The only ebooks I have from before 2012 are either PD downloads from Project Gutenberg, or bought on CD.
Any Interactive content CDs (Mac, DOS, Windows) or Sony Bookman or Sony Data Discman CDs will still be copyright.
Copyright does vary in expiry by country, and despite what USA thinks, a work doesn't need to be registered in the USA to be copyright. Copyright is automatic.

The Copyright terms vary from 50 to maybe 90 years depending on country and if a named author or Corporate.

Though CD Audio existed from 1981 approximately, the first Consumer CD ROM player was in late 1985, so only 40 years ago.
Though the Internet was gradually more public during the 1980s, there were no websites till around 1992.

Even if the content is Public Domain, or the author died 50 or more years ago (1974 or earlier depending on country), the formatting/layout and interactive program would still be copyright on any CD ROM or download content, EVERYWHERE, as that's less than 50 years, never mind the longer copyright terms in most countries now.

Of course in practical terms there may be no-one to sue you over abandonware. Expect a response if you successfully publish (even for free) any apparent out-of-print or abandonware.

Beware of uploading copyright material to Internet Archive as that is a greater and more public liability than a download from them. The Internet Archive thinks copyright rules don't apply to them. They've lost court cases and are periodically sued.

[Quoth]

Also the only ebooks before 1974-1975 (minimum 50 years still in some countries) are probably PD from Project Gutenberg, which started in 1971-1972).

The oldest Interactive text might be Colossal Cave in 1976. The author is still alive.

Material can be free to copy if the copyright holder says so, but is never automatically free to copy or distribute.