Book People Archive

Re: copyright

On Tue, 1 May 2001, Jeff & Paulina Miner wrote:

> I suspect that this is an old question. Perhaps I missed it. There are 
> people on the web who are publishing out-of-copyright works to the web who 
> nevertheless attach a "copyright" notice to it. They are attempting to 
> copyright the HTML coding. I realize that proofing and coding take a lot of 
> time -- but isn't that analagous to attempting to copyright the typesetting 

Actually, you CAN copyright typesetting, or at least fonts and layout. . . .

I just rip out the HTML, make my own margination, and then proof against
a public domain paper edition. . .actually, I never get the HTML, that
might make it illegal, so I use lynx to get without ever seeing the HTML.

> of a book? I suppose that if a book, or even a website were exceptionally 
> beautifully illustrated (so that it constituted an art work in and of 
> itself) or if the redactor/editor added some substantial new material (an 
> introduction or notes), then the "work" (i.e. the new material) would 
> deserve a copyright notice. But HTML coding (I believe) does not deserve 
> such a notice.

Yes, I agree with you, but there ARE technicalities, which is why I go
through all the above.

> 
> 
> Also, I saw a web page that announced that the "look and feel" of it was 
> copyright. How can one copyright a "look and feel" of a website?
> 

Well, there was a whole history about look and feel between MS and Apple.

> Sincerely,
> 
> Jeff and Paulina Miner


Thanks!

So nice to hear from you!


Michael S. Hart
<hart@[redacted]>
Project Gutenberg
"Ask Dr. Internet"
Executive Director
Internet User ~#100

[Moderator: The copyrightability of fonts and layout various from
 country to country.  In general, some threshold of "originality" has
 to be met, though the exact details can vary.  In the US, for instance,
 typefaces themselves are *not* copyrightable (see 37 CFR 202.1(e)), but
 the software used to generate them can be copyrighted.  On the other hand,
 the UK has a specific limited copyright for "published editions" which
 does cover things like typography and layout, but only for 25 years (see
 http://www.intellectual-property.gov.uk/std/faq/copyright/what_protected.htm
 and http://www.intellectual-property.gov.uk/std/faq/copyright/how_long.htm)

 A fair number of posts came in on this subject; I may skip over some
 that simply repeat what others said, or that don't provide enough
 useful information to evaluate the answer (such as where the rule applies
 or the authority or other source for one's answer) and don't include
 other information of interest to the list.  - JMO]