8 May
2005
8 May
'05
11:35 a.m.
>>>> "Jules" == Jules Richardson
<julesrichardsonuk at yahoo.co.uk> writes:
Jules> On Sun, 2005-05-08 at 03:16 -0400, Computer Collector
Jules> Newsletter wrote:
> There is something I don't understand.
>
> How can you have a policy that "all the material present on the
> site is absolutely freely usable" if the site includes material
> your users didn't give permission to share? If I were to post
> information or photos on your site, I would assume it's only for
> that purpose.
Jules> Personally I'd assume the opposite though - if I joined the
Jules> site and put my pictures up without any kind of copyright/use
Jules> statement, anyone should be able to use them as they see
Jules> fit. (not saying that my view or your view are wrong, just
Jules> that there are different ways of looking at it)
The law says you're wrong, in the USA at least. Everything is covered
by copyright -- if you want to place something in the public domain,
that takes an explicit action on your part. I suspect the same is
true in Europe as well, since the USA copyright laws have been moving
towards harmonization with European practice lately.
It was true in the USA, two decades or so ago, that you had to assert
copyright explicitly or you would not have it. But that is no longer
the case.
paul