Re: Re: A little help...

From: Edward Barrow <edward[_at_]copyweb.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 19:20:51 -0400

Robert H. Rickner wrote:

>>Assuming this is in the US, the copyrights have 
>>expired.  But ownership of the physical copy carries 
>>ordinary personal property rights, including the 
>>right to exclude others from access for copying.

>
>
> Yes. The example I was taught was - A person finds a letter containing an original Grimm's fairy tale. No other copy exists. It's in german. The letter's content is in the public domain, but a translation would be the subject of copyright.
>
> So, you hire a translator, make them sign all sorts of confidentiality agreements, and then publish the translation. The original german version is locked away and never published. Poof. You've turned a chattel into an intellectual property interest.
>
> Rob
>

So you hire a writer, and give her some ideas for a story. Copyright subsists in the result, to which you have exclusive rights.

How does that differ from the hypothetical you were taught?

-- 
Edward Barrow
Copyright Consultant
edward[_at_]copyweb.co.uk
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Received on Sat Apr 09 2005 - 03:20:51 GMT