Post by ResLight on Dec 13, 2014 22:13:29 GMT -5
"Public Domain", in regards to writings, art work (music, camera, etc.), usually means a work for which there is no copyright claim active. Some add to this that a work can be copyrighted for certain purposes and yet be released to the public domain by the copyright owner.
Regarding the works of "Charles Taze Russell":
The copyright on all of Brother Russell's writings and works, as such, ran out a long time ago. The LHMM copyrighted their own special editions of the volumes (including the Tabernacle Shadows), in which practically every page has some words changed from the original. I have seen some copyright claims in some other editions of the Studies in the Scriptures, although I am not sure exactly what is being claimed as copyrighted. The Scriptures Studies (including the Tabernacle Shadows) are actually in the public domain. Some claim copyright on a certain form of reproduction of his works, such as reproducing from an original film or recording, which is in the public domain, to a electronic text format, videotape, or to avi, etc.
The copyright laws as they are now are very complicated; it is difficult to know if many of the claims of copyright to specific reproductions of public domain material are viable. As I understand it, one can claim a copyright on their own specific edition of a public domain work if there is a significant change in some way from the original works, such as change of medium, the addition of footnotes, pictures, etc. The original work, however, still remains in the public domain, but the changes to the work can be legally copyrighted. Many recording companies claim a copyright on their own recording of public domain music on their CDs. The music itself that is on the CD remains in the public domain, but it would be illegal to start copying their CDs as such and distribute them without getting their approval. It can be confusing.
What we request as far as this forum is concerned, is that if you are claiming copyright on anything you post, please state so. If you are posting something that is copyrighted by someone else, you should obtain permission from the copyright owner(s) before posting, except for short quotes deemed relevant to the context of your own posting (Credit should always be given, however, for such quotes).
For more on "public domain" see:
www.unc.edu/~unclng/public-d.htm
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain
Regarding the works of "Charles Taze Russell":
The copyright on all of Brother Russell's writings and works, as such, ran out a long time ago. The LHMM copyrighted their own special editions of the volumes (including the Tabernacle Shadows), in which practically every page has some words changed from the original. I have seen some copyright claims in some other editions of the Studies in the Scriptures, although I am not sure exactly what is being claimed as copyrighted. The Scriptures Studies (including the Tabernacle Shadows) are actually in the public domain. Some claim copyright on a certain form of reproduction of his works, such as reproducing from an original film or recording, which is in the public domain, to a electronic text format, videotape, or to avi, etc.
The copyright laws as they are now are very complicated; it is difficult to know if many of the claims of copyright to specific reproductions of public domain material are viable. As I understand it, one can claim a copyright on their own specific edition of a public domain work if there is a significant change in some way from the original works, such as change of medium, the addition of footnotes, pictures, etc. The original work, however, still remains in the public domain, but the changes to the work can be legally copyrighted. Many recording companies claim a copyright on their own recording of public domain music on their CDs. The music itself that is on the CD remains in the public domain, but it would be illegal to start copying their CDs as such and distribute them without getting their approval. It can be confusing.
What we request as far as this forum is concerned, is that if you are claiming copyright on anything you post, please state so. If you are posting something that is copyrighted by someone else, you should obtain permission from the copyright owner(s) before posting, except for short quotes deemed relevant to the context of your own posting (Credit should always be given, however, for such quotes).
For more on "public domain" see:
www.unc.edu/~unclng/public-d.htm
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain
