Andreas Barth wrote: > > Online distribution of copyrighted works is known since 1995 (in the > > legal sense, at least that's the year that is mentioned in all such > > discussions). > > Sorry, but that's not totally true. There was substantial distribution > via modem networks before (e.g. Fido). IMHO this is equivalent to > distribution over internet.
Software was distributed over the Internet before 1995, of course. But I was just paraphrasing the interpretation among the legal community; the year 1995 is their landmark year, not mine. > > As a German citizen, you cannot release anything into the public domain > > (short of being dead for 70 years). Some of your rights as an author > 60 years for works being published during lifetime. Not in Germany AFAIK. > > are inherently untransferable. > except by Last Will. Or by agreements among the heirs.
