On Wed, Nov 28, 2007 at 02:43:34PM +0000, John Halton wrote: > On 28/11/2007, Michael Poole <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Based on a quick look, these files establish a correspondence between > > different character set encodings. Copyright protects creative > > expression. What is the creative part of this mapping? I can see two > > possible bases: character selection and ambiguity resolution.
> Can't speak for the US, but in the UK the standard for copyright > protection is somewhat lower than "creative expression". Generally, a > work merely has to be "original" (i.e. not copied from elsewhere). > However, a file consisting of mappings of this nature probably > constitutes a "database" under UK law (and in other EU jurisdictions). > In that case it only attracts protection "if, and only if, by reason > of the selection or arrangement of the contents of the database the > database constitutes the author's own intellectual creation". I really > doubt that this file would meet that test, or that it would reach the > "substantial investment" test for the separate "database right". > > That being said, I am not sure enough to risk it in court on my dime. > > I would hope that Adobe would be willing to provide the data with a > > DFSG-compatible license and/or a notice that makes it clear whether > > they think the mappings are protected by copyright. > Well, quite. What I said above only goes to show how complex copyright > questions can become, and that's only looking at one jurisdiction. I > find it hard to believe Adobe could or would assert copyright here, > but I'm no more willing than you to be the one who tests that > hypothesis! FWIW, I believe a search of debian-legal archives will show that we've come to the same conclusion before about copyrightability of non-creative databases, and are already shipping a number of these in Debian. Cheers, -- Steve Langasek Give me a lever long enough and a Free OS Debian Developer to set it on, and I can move the world. Ubuntu Developer http://www.debian.org/ [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
