::fibreculture:: Copyright is 300 years old today

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

Ken notes,

http://www.counterpoint-online.org/copyright-1710-2010/

The first copyright law, "An Act for the Encouragement of Learning" was
passed by the English Parliament on the 10th April, 1710.
 
Encouragement of learning, eh?

We could all sing "Happy Birthday" to copyright, except - oh, the song
is covered by copyright and we'd have to pay royalties for a public
performance  http://www.snopes.com/music/songs/birthday.asp 
 
More:
 
http://www.copyrighthistory.com/anne.html  - shows original Statute of 
Anne document, presumably not subject to copyright :-) 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statute_of_Anne
http://digital-law-online.info/patry/patry2.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/apr/10/copyright-law-digital-
economy-bill

kp
--

Cheers, Ken
Stephen Loosley
Victoria, Australia



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