Re: Snooze/lose (Was: Academics and coursepacks)

On 29, August 1998, James Rogers <jetan[_at_]ionet.net> wrote:
>
> On 8/28/98, Albert Henderson <noblestation[_at_]compuserve.com> wrote:
> >
> > It is difficult enough for new talent to achieve recognition. When a
> > rare work is a major commercial success, it is discouraging to see it
> > turned out to the public domain while still in print in an authorized
> > edition.
>
> If I understand you correctly, you are here arguing for a perpetual
> copyright term for books whcih are succesful enough to never lapse from
> print. It is difficult for me to see such extended protection is going
> to prove either "discouraging" or "encouraging" for, say, Charles
> Dickens or F. Scott Fitzgerald. Difficult to reconcile with the "for
> limited times" provision of the Constitutional clause, to boot.
>
> Pertinent to this particular thread, this argument sounds rather
> like the flip side of the proposal by Mr. Scarpetti... in both cases
> the term of protection depends on the extent to which the market has
> succeeded in keeping the book in print.

Yes, I want to see some sort of "linkage". After five years OOP, it becomes public domain. Keep it in print, up to some rational maximum, it keeps the copyright. This means a book need be printed only once every five years, which should be ample.

Michael A Scarpitti
Assistant Editor
Materials Evaluation
1711 Arlingate Lane
PO Box 28518
Columbus, Ohio 43228-0518
800 222-2768 Ext 207
614 274-6003 Ext 207
Fax 614 274-6899
<mscarpit[_at_]asnt.org> Received on Mon Aug 31 1998 - 15:38:00 GMT