Heathkit manuals... Copyright issues.

[Rich Post]

There is no need to fight anyone, provided you are only interested in 
manuals written before January 1, 1964.
Each copyright before 1964 expired into the public domain after 28 years 
unless the copyright holder specifically renewed each copyright with the 
Register of Copyrights.  Renewed copyrights from that era are in a Rutgers 
University database.  Heath Company is not in there.  I doubt that anyone 
at Heath had the faintest notion that any of their manuals needed to have 
the copyright renewed after 28 years.  Heath just changed model numbers of 
their kits and updated with a newer manual.  For manuals from 1964 or 
newer, the copyright is still good.

My favorite summary of when things go into public domain is from Professor 
of Law Lolly Gasaway at the U of North Carolina.

http://www.unc.edu/~unclng/public-d.htm

The links to the Rutgers database can be found at Pete Millett's site

http://www.pmillett.com/tecnical_books_online.htm

Pete has been the most assertive with pre-1964 copyrights now in the public 
domain and has done all of us a service with the gigabyte plus of books he 
has made freely available.

I will continue sharing my small stash of 1963 and earlier Heathkit manuals.

73,

Rich KB8TAD


At 02:34 PM 12/13/2008, John Dilks K2TQN wrote:
>No, I think we should fight them.  If my information is correct, then a 
>Mexican stand off should start.  We'll need to group together and support 
>our friends who post these schematics and books.  If they find out that 
>can't bully us, then this stupid thing will stop.
>
>Ask yourself, what value does all the Heath stuff have. (or any of the 
>others?)  They are done.  That part of the hobby has died. Historians will 
>be able to print what they want to a need, they always do.  What's 
>left?  Just someone wanting to take their football and go home.  I can't 
>imagine for a minute there will be any profit in it for them.
>
>After this, would any of us buy anything from them?
>
>73, John Dilks
>
>At 12:51 PM 12/13/2008, you wrote:
>>
>>Looks like everyone should download any Hallicrafters, Hammarlund,  National,
>>Drake and other manuals they might need before this outfit buys up the
>>rights to those, too!
>>
>>73,
>>
>>John,  W4AWM

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