[Free-sklyarov-uk] Corrupt CD's - Time for another protest/leafleting session?

[Jason Clifford]

On Fri, 7 Dec 2001, Chuck Heffner wrote:

> I don't know how different it is in the UK, but both of these threads are
> inapplicable. For comment 1, the only creative works that have lapsed per
> copyright law are texts and visual works of art - there is no *recorded*
> music that has lapsed under copyright law in the US or the UK.
> (copright=lifetime of author plus 95 years). Hope you enjoy burning your
> copy of an early 20th century book.

Copyright in the UK currently provides protection for 5 years after the 
death of the author however until fairly recently it was only 50 years. 
There are enormous amounts of unprotected works - articstic creation is 
not some result of the 20th century.

> Per comment 2, while Beethoven's 9th composition has slipped into the public
> domain, any recordings of his are the copyrighted property of the performing
> artist (their interpretation of his work, fully copyrightable). If I go out
> today and buy the LSO's rendition of B's 9th, and make it available online,
> I'm guilty of copyright infringement. The only recordings the public is
> entitled to for free would be recordings of B's 9th that precede December
> 7th, 1906, and the current copyright holder *does* have the right to
> "copy-protect" it since they own it and there's no law or precedent against
> corrupting CDs.

True however such protections cannot lawfully be applied to the works of 
Sheakspeare or to other "aged" works yet such works are being distributed 
in "protected" form thus seeking to prevent users from exercising their 
legitimate rights.

Jason