[sword-devel] Copyright Law

[Clyde PRICE]

Jorge,
	I predict that RVR60 will remain protected for some time yet.

	For my own purposes, I found a government-sponsored page that allows a
search of all USA copyrights renewed from 1978 to the present. This
would NOT list works copyrighted in other countries and protected by
treaties.
	I searched using several keywords and criteria for evidence that the
Revised Standard Version OT and/or NT had been renewed. I found that the
protection on the RSV Apocrypha does continue into the present, but did
not find any evidence that the OT or NT had been renewed. Within the
last several months, I saw on somebody's website a "permissions" text in
which the National Council of Churches/ Division of Christian Education
asserted current protection over the RSV... But I've also found within
the last year several RSV modules for various Bible programs. I do NOT
know how GATT/WTO affects the issue, as these treaties seem to have
re-protected some public domain works...

	Anyhow: It is hazardous to assert that the RSV is now in the public
domain... But it was NOT renewed according to the ordinary processes
which were available to the NCC/DCC.

	I'd really like a more comprehensive answer to this question myself,
since I've been looking for a LONG time for a translation I could use as
a "default version" for digital projects. I'm tempted to employ RSV this
way (in spite of the fact that I'm not excited about the version: but I
judge it to be useable). My previous "public domain" list consisted of
ASV1901 and the Montgomery NT. The version that I memorize is NASB, but
the Lockman Foundation has a long history of DENYING permission to quote
NASB extensively in published works (while, OTOH, Nelson gives
permission to quote NKJV very quickly).

	I guess I've gotten close to being off-topic, but I have to think about
copyright protection or NOT every day.

--Clyde


Jorge Chacón wrote:
> 
> Would the "Reina Valera rev 1960" in Spanish fall into this category?  I
> think their copyright would then end in 2010, and it IS the most read bible
> version is Spanish.  Maybe the shortening of their copyright period would
> prod them into letting the Sword Project use it earlier.
> 
> What about the Old testament of the RSV, copyrighted in 1952?
> 
> Jorge
> 
> <snip>
> 
> I have been following this for several years. I am sure there are many
> commentaries and religious works that would fall into this window if Eldred
> wins the case, but are their any Bible translations that would be affected
> either now or in the near future?
> 
> Don A. Elbourne Jr.
> http://elbourne.org
> 
> <snip>

-- 
Clyde C. PRICE, Jr. 
Please CC: "group" replies to: <Clyde.Price@CDLF.org> 
Founder & President, the Christian Digital Library Foundation
<http://cdlf.org> To learn more write <mailto:info@cdlf.org>. CDLF is
looking for Scribes, Eager Readers, and other friends to enjoy,
distribute, and produce digital Christian books and other resources to
build up the Body of Christ.

Christian Digital Library Foundation
Box 214, Suite 205
11770 Haynes Bridge Rd.
Alpharetta, GA 30004 USA