03-01-2012, 04:50 PM | #76 |
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If a contract was signed, then yes. There are, presumably, laws in the US, including contract law. If they don't want to pay, then they can hand the manuscript back and the family is free to approach someone else.
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03-01-2012, 04:51 PM | #77 |
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03-01-2012, 04:56 PM | #78 | |
Chasing Butterflies
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I've requested to him that if I die in the middle of an unfinished writing project, I want him to pass on the results to my existing readers via my blog. As for my existing copyrights... I don't know. I think I'd like to specify that they pass into PD when I die. I haven't decided yet. (This is why I haven't updated the will yet.) I would of course love to make a billion dollars as an author. But I don't want to lose sight of my deeply held belief that I owe everything to my wonderful readers. ETA: And he's a bedroom programmer as a hobbyist. I don't think we've had the discussion, but were he to die first, I'm pretty sure he'd like me to disseminate the code for whatever project he had going at the time. His most popular program is donation supported. Last edited by anamardoll; 03-01-2012 at 04:59 PM. |
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03-01-2012, 04:56 PM | #79 |
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I just demonstrated quite clearly that is does. Just because there is a contract, the publisher isn't obligated to actually sell the book, and even if they did, no one would buy it from that publisher. They would buy it from the publisher who was under no obligation to pay the author's estate anything, because that second publisher could afford to sell it for less.
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03-01-2012, 05:03 PM | #80 |
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You did no such thing, but I think I'll leave it here regardless. I need a snack, then I'll stick a movie on and in any case I've spent quite enough time on stuff which will not come to pass in my life time. You have my permission to treat my tired withdrawal as a victory if you so desire.
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03-01-2012, 05:11 PM | #81 | |
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Labor is not the the same as property, and it never has been. |
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03-01-2012, 05:14 PM | #82 |
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I notice you made no effort to refute anything I said. This is probably because you can't. I'll make it simple.
Let us stipulate that copyright expires at a person's death, and that an author has a contract with a publisher, giving a 30% royalty. The author dies, and at that moment, the book becomes public domain. This means anyone can publish it. Other publishers exist. Any one of these publishers can sell the book, because it is in the public domain. These other publishers are not bound by the contract between the author and the original publisher. The other publishers do not have to pay royalties on this book. Because they do not need to pay royalties, the other publishers can sell the book more cheaply than can the original publishers. The original publisher will not be able to make money selling the book at all, and therefore, will not sell it. Which of these premises do you disagree with? I don't need to take your withdrawal as victory, I know that I have facts and logic on my side. |
03-01-2012, 05:15 PM | #83 |
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Yeah, laws can be changed to do anything, including prohibiting inheritance. What is your point? Copyrights are property right now that can be passed down like any other property.
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03-01-2012, 05:17 PM | #84 |
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Copyright is ending at the death of the author is not the only alternative to perpetual copyright.
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03-01-2012, 06:48 PM | #85 | ||
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Quote:
Quote:
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03-01-2012, 08:25 PM | #86 |
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I feel like this conversation has gotten hung up on the idea of copyright ending at the death of the author. Would there be any objection to it just ending after some number of years, say something between 20 to 300,000 without reference to the life of the author?
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03-01-2012, 10:06 PM | #87 |
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I don't see why it can't be something like death or X number of years, which ever is later. That way the older stuff goes PD when the author dies and yet still covers circumstances where the author dies unexpectedly or has published late in life.
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03-01-2012, 10:12 PM | #88 |
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I wouldn't object to a set number, regardless of the author's life status. I can see the benefit of that. Surely a author can squeeze all they can out of X years. I do see a POSSIBLE need for some short extension. Say they write the first book and it does modestly well. Maybe even several books. Years later they write a huge hit and it renews interest in their first books. What if those books were going out of copyright or just went out? I don't see where the publisher should reap all the rewards.
But you know what? I don't know the answer and this is why I am not the one in charge. I am terrible at these types of decisions. LOL I give myself a headache if I think of all sides for too long. |
03-01-2012, 10:45 PM | #89 |
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I may be satisfied not to have the copyright period extended further. One problem with extending the copyright term for the small percentage of works that still have commercial value is that a lot of other works fall through the cracks.
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03-02-2012, 03:27 AM | #90 |
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Well, let's see.........
...."does your family keep collecting money in perpetuity if you spent your life working in a warehouse? .."
Ummmm.... presumably said family might - if it's in a signed legal contract that they will. And ....you'd need a lawyer, prob'ly, to fight off the company that realised what twit's they'd been. [ P'raps a profitable opening here for Ninja ? ] |
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