Which classics fall out of copyright in 2012? - Page 8

HarryT · 01-01-2012, 09:50 AM

It's an issue in Europe, because we (unlike the US) have what's called "typographical copyright" which protects the layout of a work, even if the work itself is in the public domain. Typographical copyright has a fixed term of 25 years from the date of publication. This really can protect things as simple as a TOC.

I know there have been court cases for violation of typographical copyright, but I don't know if there have been any relating to eBooks.

Billi · 01-01-2012, 09:53 AM

Thanks!

HarryT · 01-01-2012, 10:00 AM

Those of us in Life+70 countries get some nice new authors in the public domain today. The most notable English-language authors who are now in the public domain are perhaps James Joyce and Virginia Woolf.

The Terminator · 01-01-2012, 02:13 PM

Can't wait for a version to come out of Hemingway, the ebooks from Kobo are all like $17.

HarryT · 01-01-2012, 02:20 PM

I'm sure that his works will appear at PG Canada over the coming months.

JSWolf · 01-01-2012, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pholy

Billi - No, the laws state that books enter the public domain on the January 1st following the 70th (50th in Canada) anniversary of the death of the author.

That's only until Micky Mouse is close to becoming public domain yet again and then Disney will get that changed to an even more absurd number just to keep Micky Mouse.

JD Gumby · 01-02-2012, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Most commercial editions will probably have things like an introduction and perhaps footnotes - those will almost certainly be protected by copyright. But copyright can protect something as simple as a table of contents. This really is a minefield, unfortunately.

Actually, though it might be different in different jurisdictions, simple lists can't be copyrighted, which would include tables of contents, nor can titles or short phrases (which also covers TOCs).

Daithi · 01-03-2012, 12:11 PM

I thought it was great to see Chandler's books all appear here on MR (special shout out to SensualPoet and Patricia), and I look forward to picking up Hammett's books and Hemmingway's books as they become available.

However, if anyone (in Canada) was willing to convert The Bad Seed (1954) by William March (died in 1954) or James Joyce's (died 1941) Finnegan's Wake then I'd be ever so grateful.

HarryT · 01-03-2012, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daithi

I thought it was great to see Chandler's books all appear here on MR (special shout out to SensualPoet and Patricia), and I look forward to picking up Hammett's books and Hemmingway's books as they become available.

Careful, Daithi. These authors are NOT in the public domain in the US. Downloading them from here would be no different to downloading them from a pirate site.

Daithi · 01-03-2012, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Careful, Daithi. These authors are NOT in the public domain in the US. Downloading them from here would be no different to downloading them from a pirate site.

No worries, I'm half-Canadian. Yeah, yeah, that's the ticket. My wife, Morgan Fairchild, and I would never download a book that isn't legally in the public domain of the country in which we are citizens.

HarryT · 01-03-2012, 05:37 PM

I'm sure you're aware of this, but your nationality isn't what determines what you can legally download; all that matters is your location.

Ankh · 01-03-2012, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm sure you're aware of this, but your nationality isn't what determines what you can legally download; all that matters is your location.

Really? "Location" as in current latitude and longitude, or "location" as the place of residence?

HarryT · 01-04-2012, 04:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ankh

Really? "Location" as in current latitude and longitude, or "location" as the place of residence?

Current latitude and longitude. If you live in the US, you can't legally download Mr. Chandler's books, but you can visit Canada, download them there, and entirely legally bring them home with you.

That's why I say please don't assume that everything in the MR library is legal for you to download. It most assuredly isn't. You do need to check before downloading.

Ankh · 01-04-2012, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Current latitude and longitude. If you live in the US, you can't legally download Mr. Chandler's books, but you can visit Canada, download them there, and entirely legally bring them home with you.

That's just ... weird. So, it is OK for me (Canadian, accessing MR from Canada) to download every book on MobileRead, burn it to CD, then send it to a fellow in USA? It is the same thing as him bringing the copies in, isn't it?

WT Sharpe · 01-04-2012, 02:11 PM

I so wish copyright law was unified, international, and controlled by an international governing body.

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01-01-2012, 09:50 AM	#106
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	It's an issue in Europe, because we (unlike the US) have what's called "typographical copyright" which protects the layout of a work, even if the work itself is in the public domain. Typographical copyright has a fixed term of 25 years from the date of publication. This really can protect things as simple as a TOC. I know there have been court cases for violation of typographical copyright, but I don't know if there have been any relating to eBooks.

01-01-2012, 09:53 AM	#107
Billi Wizard Posts: 3,388 Karma: 14190103 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Berlin Device: Cybook, iRex, PB, Onyx	Thanks!

01-01-2012, 10:00 AM	#108
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Those of us in Life+70 countries get some nice new authors in the public domain today. The most notable English-language authors who are now in the public domain are perhaps James Joyce and Virginia Woolf.

01-01-2012, 02:13 PM	#109
The Terminator Retired Posts: 2,552 Karma: 37638420 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Vancouver Island Canada Device: Kobo Touch, Optimus One (2.3), Nexus 7 (4.2)	Can't wait for a version to come out of Hemingway, the ebooks from Kobo are all like $17.

01-01-2012, 02:20 PM	#110
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I'm sure that his works will appear at PG Canada over the coming months.

01-03-2012, 12:11 PM	#113
Daithi Publishers are evil! Posts: 2,418 Karma: 36205264 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Rhode Island Device: Various Kindles	I thought it was great to see Chandler's books all appear here on MR (special shout out to SensualPoet and Patricia), and I look forward to picking up Hammett's books and Hemmingway's books as they become available. However, if anyone (in Canada) was willing to convert The Bad Seed (1954) by William March (died in 1954) or James Joyce's (died 1941) Finnegan's Wake then I'd be ever so grateful.

01-03-2012, 05:37 PM	#116
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I'm sure you're aware of this, but your nationality isn't what determines what you can legally download; all that matters is your location.

01-04-2012, 02:11 PM	#120
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,072 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	I so wish copyright law was unified, international, and controlled by an international governing body.

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