🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Nov20.133657.22672@netcom.com> rkrouse@netcom.com (Robert K. Rouse) writes:
>  Someone told me that everything on the Internet is automatically
> copyrighted to the author.  Is this true and what does it mean
> if it is true?

This is correct [although, I would say USENET rather than Internet].

The Berne Convention made it fundamental that the excercise of the rights
guaranteed by the convention shall not be subject to any formality.

The Berne Convention applies to many countries and includes the U.S..

The interpretation is that any work has [most] copyright protections with or
without the presence of a copyright notice as soon as it has been fixed in
form.

The question of what rights authors reserve when they release their
work via USENET is an open question.  You will find people quite happy
to attempt to fill bandwidth arguing the topic but until the courts
and the legislature get around to examining the issue, it is all hype,
drivel, and posturing.

>   I would like to collect together my favorite FAQs into a book
> with a little editing but not too much rewriting.  How would the
> copyrights affect my plans.  Would I have to pay royalties?

I would suggest that you contact the authors of your favorite FAQs
and secure their permissions.  Not only will it save you from possible
future legal problems, it is the polite and ethically sound thing
to do.

You may be pleasantly surprised.  Most people who write or maintain
FAQs are probably interested in sharing information and would simply
release their work for inclusion in your book - subject to proper
attribution and review of your editing.

Or simply -
Why not try doing the right thing before trying the expedient thing?

Aydin Edguer
an FAQ maintainer