"D. Starner" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > Fedor Zuev <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > > Initially, back in 50s-60s-70s all software > > was free software. Proprietary software come into being only after > > computer programs was copyrighted. Computer programs was copyrighted > > relatively late, in 1976 year in USA, in 1991 year in Russia and > > maybe even later in some other countries. > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Thomas Bushnell, BSG) writes: > > Computer Programs Political Writing > > Started 1950 600 BC > > Copyright legally clear 1976 AD 1700 > > Okay, I have an Algol68 compiler written at Oklahoma State University > in 1971. (This is not a hypothetical - I have this code, and have > considered porting it to a more modern system, say Fortran 77 targetting > a VAX.) Is it clearly in the public domain? I could ask permission, but > I get the feeling I might end up talking to the Board of Regents who > would see it as a money making opportunity.
I would say it's unclear. It's very unlikely it was explicitly copyrighted at the time, but it might well count as not published either, in which case it is the law at the time of first publication that matters.
