[Fsfe-france] Re: public domain question

[Alexandre Dulaunoy]

On Wed, 30 Oct 2002, Loic Dachary wrote:

> 
>       Hi
> 
>       In the US a software author can declare (although it seems to
> be a controversial subject among scholars):
> 
> "This work is in the public domain. I disclaim all copyright in the work."
> 
>       In which case the program is not copyrighted at all, hence
> falls in the public domain.
> 
>       I never heard or read anything related to this in Europe or in 
> France. Could someone shade some light on the subject ? I'm under the
> impression that, in France, there is no way to place a program in the
> public domain. First, you cannot surrender your moral rights. Then I'm
> not aware of any effective method to surrender your "droit d'auteur".

      There is no "public domain" (for example in the Belgian law) but
      this is more a right/legitimate right to the author to do so. 

      But (IMHO), the only way to do it correctly is to make a license
      to   correctly  define   public  domain.   But   that's  another
      story.  Maybe the  way  to surrender  author  right (aka  "Droit
      d'auteur") is to make a license to do so[1].

      As Alessandro said,  you have to wait for  author's dead and 50+
      years. 

      Hope this helps. 

      adulau


      [1] We are living in a strange world. 


-- 
--                            Alexandre Dulaunoy -- http://www.foo.be/
--         http://pgp.ael.be:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x44E6CBCD
"People who fight may lose.People who do not fight have already lost." 
                                                        Bertolt Brecht