On Sat, 4 Oct 2003, Florian Weimer wrote:
>> >Just interpreting the GPL according to the laws of Germany might result
>> >in further restrictions. For example, GPLed software released before
>> >1995 is not redistributable over the Internet.
>> Can you give me spme online Resources about it ?
>In Germany, a copyright holder cannot grant rights for distribution
>over yet unknown channels. Even if you allow all kinds of
>distribution, the law essentially makes it "all currently known
>ways of distributing it".
AFAIK, you are right in general, but there a small
correction needed. I apologize, if you cite any official source, but
all I read about this appears slightly otherwise. Copyright holder
cannot grant "right for as yet unknown types of use", not the "right
for distribution over yet unknown channels".
So, if newly discovered channel does not add anything new to
the manner of exploitation of work itself, it should not be
considered as new type of use.
Distribution|copying over peer-to-peer networks (floppynet)
was granted and specifically mentioned in GPL from the very
beginning. Invention and spread of a new techincal tools for such
distribution does non change the things, AFAIK.
Unlike publication of photos.
>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).
>Fortunately, distribution methods are considered known even if they
>aren't mentioned in the law (otherwise we'd have big problems now).
