Re: Copyright Qustions

["Martha Luehrmann" <Martha_Luehrmann@macmail.lbl.gov>]

        Reply to:   RE>Copyright Qustions

Dear Richard
rchadwic@linknet.kitsap.lib.wa
--------------------------------------
On 4/6/98 Richard Chadwick (riccha@olympic.ctc.edu) asked: 

>I recently bout[bought] an edited dictionary on disk. There is nothing on
>the disk or any documatation[documentation] with it that claims it is
>copywrighted[copyrighted,] ( Neither[nor] is there any thing[anything]
>claiming it is freeware[.] )

>Can I legaly[legally] copy this disk to give to freinds[friends]?

>Have A Nice Day MAILTO:riccha@olympic.ctc.edu

Dear Richard

As the above notes in square brackets attest, you would do best to keep the
dictionary handy and use it, rather than give it to your friends.

As to copyright, no notice is required for copyright.  Copyright, such as it
is, is there at the creation of the work.  I say "such as it is" because the
copyright afforded to dictionaries is, I believe, very thin.  I don't believe
it extends to individual definitions, but I'm sure you would be violating the
copyright if you wholesale copied the disk and gave it to others.

Anyway, concentrate on the spelling and grammar for the time being and forget
the largesse.

Martha Luehrmann
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
MRLuehrmann@LBL.gov