RFC Deadline Looms For "Orphan Works" copy
psychonaut writes "As previously
reported on Slashdot, the US
Copyright Office is currently reviewing the law as it applies to
"orphan works" and "abandonware". The question is how to treat works
(books, films, software, etc.) for which the copyright owner cannot be
found so that permission can be granted to republish or create
derivative works. "The issue is whether orphan works are being
needlessly removed from public access and their dissemination
inhibited. If no one claims the copyright in a work," they write, "it
appears likely that the public benefit of having access to the work
would outweigh whatever copyright interest there might be."
The Copyright Office has been soliciting
comments from the public since 26 January 2005. Now, as their 25
March deadline draws nearer, the EFF, along with freeculture.org and Public Knowledge, have
teamed up to produce a website,Orphan Works, which gives
some background on the issue and makes it easy to submit comments
directly to the Copyright Office." And while you're at, contribute to the EFF. Good organization.
You can't get a flat in the US. Here, we have houses, apartments, condominums, etc - but no flats. Those are all in Europe, AFAIK. :)