MR: I'd say one can assert some leverage to make $ from Public Domain releases. Say I release a book into the public domain. I can also continue to sell that book to any who what to buy it. So, one can make $ off of public domain works. So, that is in a way asserting a property interest -- sorta. This isn't exclusive, nor is it a guarantee. But, it is some type of an assertion, IMHO. EE: True, you can make $ off of public domain information. When Walt Disney's creations enter into public domain - around 2010 - anyone can then put Mickey on a shirt and sell it. What an author owns is the exclusive right to distribute his creation in any way he/she/it (corporations can be authors). This right of exclusive distribution lasts from the date of creation of the object until the death of the author plus fifty years under US law. When the author places the object into PD he can still produce and sell it. However he has lost -forever- the monopoly. Others can also produce and sell his creation. Since the loss of this right of monopoly is irrevocable, and permits others to produce for profit the authors material I must be very explicit in advising you regarding the right of the author. If you want to make OpenKard forever free, you can. Since there are several ways to do so, I need to know as specifically as possible what you desire in order to draw up documents which accurately reflect your desires. Briefly, yes you can make money off the public domain. The story Cinderella is in the public domain. You can make a movie version of it. Your version would be protected from exact reproduction, though you could not then prevent another person from producing the story cinderella. Ok? ____________________________________________________________________ Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1
