[ih] Who owns old RFCs ?

[Noel Chiappa]

    > From: Vint Cerf

    > The idea behind copyright is a finite time for control by the author and
    > then entry into public domain for the benefit of all.

That's the theory - but we all know about theory and practise. The 'Mickey
Mouse' extension to copyright duration ('Mickey Mouse' in both senses) has
made the 'finite' very lengthy indeed - and the rationale which the US Supreme
Court used in upholding it (basically 'anything not indefinits is limited' -
talk about ignoring the basic point, in favour of a tortured reading of the
fine print) would allow further extensions.

(My old intellectual propery law guy at Hale and Dorr, also a prof at Harvard
Law, was one of the leading lights in the group that appealed the extension
law to the Supreme Court; I discussed it with him at the time,and we were both
totally disgusted at the SC's rationale.)

	  Noel