In message 4472196E.6080405@telus.net, Ray Saintonge saintonge-EynCeXvFgoheoWH0uzbU5w@public.gmane.org writes
Arwel Parry wrote:
I think we need to apply a modicum of common sense when handling copyrights, particularly when determining who is the actual copyright holder is inherently indeterminable.
For example, if I had sufficiently bad taste as to upload the primary school portrait of me at age 7, taken in 1966, I would consider it reasonable for the subject, me, to release the photo under GFDL, or PD or whatever, as:
- I have absolutely no idea who took photographs of primary school
children in Denbighshire, Wales forty years ago,
- my parents paid good money for that photo (possibly as much as a
shilling or two),
This could make it a work for hire. A licence from your parents may be required. :-)
Err, no, if I recall correctly it was a speculative job - all the kids in school had their photos taken, then some days later a strip of three photos each about 6x4" turned up and the kids took them home. If the parents liked them (or were sufficiently nagged...) then they'd cut off as many copies as they wanted and sent the rest back to school with the money. In any case, it's a bit difficult to get a licence from beyond the grave, so I suppose I inherited half the copyrights anyway in that case (and I'm not bugging my brother for the other half!). :)