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Began changes to make it clear that public domain dedication is difficult.

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Bradley M. Kuhn 2014-02-20 08:33:59 -05:00
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gpl-lgpl.tex
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@ -494,15 +494,16 @@ by copyright law. Software not governed by copyright is in the
``public domain.''
\subsection{Public Domain Software}
% FIXME: this section needs more improvements to make it clear that public
% domain dedication is difficult, if not impossible.
Theoretically, an author can create public domain software by disclaiming all
copyright interest on the work. In the USA and other countries that have
signed the Berne convention on copyright, software is copyrighted
automatically by the author when she ``fixes the software into a tangible
medium.'' In the software world, this usually means typing the source code
of the software into a file.
An author can create public domain software by disclaiming all copyright
interest on the work. In the USA and other countries that have signed the
Berne convention on copyright, software is copyrighted automatically by
the author when she ``fixes the software into a tangible medium.'' In
the software world, this usually means typing the source code of the
software into a file.
However, an author can disclaim that default control given to her by the
Imagine if an author can truly disclaim that default control given to her by the
copyright laws. Once this is done, the software is in the public domain
--- it is no longer covered by copyright. Since it is copyright law that
allows for various controls on software (i.e., prohibition of copying,