From: engelbert_buxbaum@hotmail.com   
      
   Robert AH Prins wrote:   
      
      
   > >   
   > > SUMMARY: The Copyright Office seeks to examine the issues raised by   
   > > orphan works" i.e., copyrighted works whose owners are difficult or   
   > > even impossible to locate. Concerns have been raised that the   
   > > uncertainty surrounding ownership of such works might needlessly   
   > > discourage subsequent creators and users from incorporating such works   
   > > in new creative efforts or making such works available to the public.   
   > > This notice requests written comments from all interested parties.   
   > > Specifically, the Office is seeking comments on whether there are   
   > > compelling concerns raised by orphan works that merit a legislative,   
   > > regulatory or other solution, and what type of solution could   
   > > effectively address these concerns without conflicting with the   
   > > legitimate interests of authors and right holders. ....   
      
   Interesting. This would extend into the electronic domain a provision of   
   (German) copyright law which allows books to be copied entirely (rather   
   than within the fair use limits) if they have been out of print for a   
   number of years.   
      
   I only see a small practical problem here: Since company mergers, buy   
   outs and bancrupties are so frequent in the IT industry it would be   
   difficult to determine who currently holds the copyright to a certain   
   product. Might a publicly acessible data base (internet) be a solution,   
   in which all copyright holders enter their claim?   
      
   Anything not claimed = free.   
      
   Anything claimed by claimant not available under the address given =   
   free.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)