RE: [dvd-discuss] Petition for rational copyright law

[Jim Bauer <jfbauer(at)comcast.net>]

I have trouble seeing how this will work.  Of course, I have
trouble seeing how the current system works too.

How would I tell is the copyright holder did indeed pay
their $1 at the 50 year mark?  If I assume there is some
sort of copyright registration required for the extention
then I am still left whith determining how to search it.
For something big, like a movie, that might be easy.  But
how can I search for something small like a posting to a mailing
list like this?

What we need IMO is to know, from the moment of publication,
the date a copyrighted worke gains PD status.



In 04-Jun-2003 Wendy Seltzer wrote:
> [Not quite DVD-related, but important]
> 
> The Supreme Court's decision in Eldred v. Ashcroft told us we'd have 
> to take our case to Congress to reclaim for public use the vast 
> quantity of art and literature under copyright but out of print.  The 
> draft Public Domain Enhancement Act would help do that by requiring 
> copyright holders to pay a nominal fee 50 years after publication.
> 
> Under this proposed Act, copyright holders still commercially 
> exploiting their copyrights could retain those copyrights, and would 
> update the records telling others where to contact them for 
> licensing.  Works that copyright holders didn't value at even $1, 
> however, would go into the public domain -- where others might find 
> new ways to use them.
> 
> We think this Act would restore some of the public's copyright 
> balance.   If you agree, please consider signing the petition below:
> <http://www.PetitionOnline.com/eldred/petition.html>
> 
> Thanks for your interest in Openlaw!
>