--- olbeggaols <MikeOlds@...> skrev:

> Australia is a member of the Bern convention and as
> such has
> copyright laws exactly similar to those in the US
> and England.
>
> This means: Copyright is based on the date of death
> of the author(s)
> of a work: 75 years (PTS is wrong;

> Copyright does not have to be
> claimed to be valid: simply creating a work
> copyrights it.

What you say is true about author's rights, but
strictly speaking not about copyright. We are
confusing two different concepts, belonging to
different traditions. The Bern Convention speaks about
author's rights, which have their origin in
continental Europe. Copyright has its origin in
Anglosaxon countries, and is different (that may be
the reason why the USA waited a lot of years before
signing the convention; and that's why Irving Berlin
lost copyright to "Alexander's Ragtime Band" while he
was still alive).

Also, I think the number of years is not detailed in
the convention but may vary between countries. In
Sweden, before we joined the EU, the limit was 50
years here, but 70 years in e. g. Germany; when we
joined, it was harmonized to 70 (harmonized with the
EU, not with the convention).

So are the 75 years you mention valid for all
countries, or only for Australia? And in the first
case; when was the addition done? In my country, I
haven't seen any information about this.

Gunnar




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gunnargallmo@...