Re: copyright expiration as a spur to creativity

Albert Henderson <noblestation[_at_]compuserve.com> wrote:
>
> On Tue, 04 Aug 1998, Karsten M. Self <kmself[_at_]ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> >
> > While I'd argue for a significant time period before permanent lapse
> > of copyright to an author, preferably several years, my general
> > feeling is that if the author cannot find a publisher willing to
> > publish a work, then there probably is little or no commercial
> > interest in it.
>
> The Hubbard estate waited for years to negotiate a satisfactory
> deal for the Conan series in the U.S. It was in paperback in
> Britain. The Hubbard estate opposed specilized sci-fi book dealers'
> unauthorized importing. Conan ended up not only in print but in the
> movies.
>
> With an authorized investor, the series enjoyed far more marketing
> and distribution than it had with bootleggers and pirates.

First, there will be exceptions to any general rule -- not all marketable books will be recognized as such. In general however, the market life of the vast majority of works is several years.

Second, it appears from your post that the Hubbard estate had secured potential offers, but were shopping for more favorable terms.

Third, how does favorable publication terms for a dead man (assuming the Hubbard estate's actions followed L. Ron's death) induce productivity of the author or promote knowledge ("science")? Art 1.8: "to promote science and the useful arts by, securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exlusive right to their respective writings and discoveries".

-- 
Karsten M. Self (kmself[_at_]ix.netcom.com)

    What part of "gestalt" don't you understand?
    Welchen Teil von "gestalt" verstehen Sie nicht?

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