Re: THE BEST KEPT SECRETS OF THE COMPUTER UNDERGROUND

On Tue, 12 Aug 2003 06:58:33 -0400, "mto" <>
wrote:

>"CyberDroog" <DoILookLikeIWantSpam?@duh.net> wrote in message
>news:.. .
><SNIP>>
>> A copyright notice, and then she posts it on Usenet making it public
>> domain...
>>
>
>Please don't perpetuate mythology!
>
>Posting to Usenet does not invalidate copyright nor place anything whatever
>(including this) in the public domain unless specifically so stated in terms
>such as "Released to the public domain."
>
>Note that under DMCA an author's writings do not have to be accompanied by a
>specific copyright notice, nor do they have to be registered with the
>copyright office. Copyright law applies at the moment of composition - even
>to Usenet.

Yes, copyrights are automatic. But try and enforce a copyright on anything
you post on Usenet. I just quoted what you wrote, for instance. And Usenet
is a large, distributed database.

I bet dollars to dimes that any court will rule that Usenet is more
comparable to speech than publishing.

--
APPEAL, v.t. In law, to put the dice into the box for another throw.

- Ambrose Bierce

CyberDroog