[Commons-l] Cool tool that lets you check for copyright renewals on books

[will at avery.homelinux.org]

Quoting "Monahon, Peter B." <Peter.Monahon at USPTO.GOV>:
<snip>
> PS - Regarding web site policing the copyright of open contributions, I'm not
> sure why anyone but the copyright holder is pursuing such "policing" of their
> own copyrights and infringements.  I think it rather presumptuous for anyone
> ELSE to scrutinize contributors and "police" the use of someone else's
> copyright as if it's their job to act as the author's agent.  I appreciate
> it's property, just like my home or car.  But, I do not expect anyone to come
> running after me on the street and say, "Hey, prove you own that car" -
> unless they alone are the real owner and they know I stole THEIR car.  So, I
> do not expect someone else who is NOT the original author and / or copyright
> owner to come running after me and say, "Hey, prove you have the rights to
> those words / pictures / intellectual property."  My 2¢ today.
> 
Contributions are scrutinised to ensure that the content is now, and will be in
the future, freely distributable, because the license it is published under is
validly offered. This is quality assurance on a core object of Wikipedia and
Commons.

Publishing under an open licence is more akin to selling a car than driving it
down the street.

Will

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