Re: (TFT) fiction copyrights

["Craig W. Barber" <craigwbar@comcast.net>]

The Tolkien estate owns that, as US law provides copyright lasts for the life
of the author plus 75 years.  Since Tolkien survived well past WWII, his work
is still under copyright protection.

However, the real world is actually simpler.  The deal i$, think about all
that nice money Hollywood ha$.  They don't want ANYTHING to ever again fall
out of copyright.  So the laws are altered every 25 years or so.  That is, it
used to be life of the author plus 25 years, but just before that would've
expired, it went to life+50.  Just before that expired, Congress upshifted to
life+75 years.  When that is due to run out, they'll extend it again.
Congre$$ of cour$e, need$ to re$pond to the need$ of the indu$trie$ of the
U$A.  (Since the US is a net exporter of intellectual property, this makes
good sense from our perspective.  Think pop music, TM brands, movies, porn and
so on.)

Net result: if the item was published prior to about 1922, it's out of
copyright, but if it was published after 1922, it'll be staying in copyright
until something drastic change$, I mean, changes.  Have you ever noticed that
all the old classics are constantly being reprinted and put in the bookstores
at supercheap prices?  You'll always find MOBY DICK or TREASURE ISLAND or the
like for $5 new: the publisher doesn't have to negotiate with the author.

Now, before you decide we should do away with copyright (and admittedly, it
needs to be trimmed down to size!), remember that we get NEW games all the
time because guys like SJ can make money from their inventiveness.  If anyone
could copy TLOTR video the day Peter Jackson releases it, then Peter Jackson
would've produced a Ring War that did not have the high production values.

The price is, old stuff like TFT can die beyond hope of RESURRECTION spells of
the most powerful mages.

Or maybe not, what is HT's son's out of date contact info?  Maybe it's time to
try again....  :(




  ----- Original Message -----
  From: pvk@oz.net
  To: tft@brainiac.com
  Sent: Friday, September 15, 2006 1:02 PM
  Subject: Re: (TFT) fiction copyrights


  Who claims the right to the Tolkien materials anyway, and on what basis?
  Seems to me that should have become public domain long ago, but then I'm
  not a publishing corporation whose business is profitting forever from
  others' creative works.

  Orcs are so pervasive that it seems to me it might be a good case with
  which to challenge the law. If in theory some corporation has the sole
  right to orcs, but uncountable products have violated that, maybe it could
  point out some problems in the laws. Or, not...
  =====
  Post to the entire list by writing to tft@brainiac.com.
  Unsubscribe by mailing to majordomo@brainiac.com with the message body
  "unsubscribe tft"
=====
Post to the entire list by writing to tft@brainiac.com.
Unsubscribe by mailing to majordomo@brainiac.com with the message body
"unsubscribe tft"