Re: copyright notices (was: Re: Are we (nearly) ready for 3.4 yet?)

[John W. Eaton]

On  6-Jan-2011, Judd Storrs wrote:

| I'm not sure I agree with this. Copyright is intended to be limited.
| Isn't the intent of the copyright notice to establish the clock for
| expiration of the copyright? Disney can't just keep extending Bambi by
| stamping a new date in the credits. That's why they get Congress to
| change the laws. Or are you saying only the first date matters? The
| dates should accompany the production of the work. A file that has not
| been touched should not be bumped.

I would bet that the advice in the FSF maintainers guide on copyright
notices has the approval of their legal counsel, so I don't have a
problem following their advice.

Also, the work as a whole is changing, unlike the usual case for a
book or movie.

jwe