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That's an interesting question
Does the Linux copyright expire, and if so, can code used in Linux eventually be used in proprietary software?

Of course, the length of copyright is so long these days that that is an even far in the future, at a point when the current Linux code may be as relevant as horse-drawn carriages. Still, interesting notion.

The GPL is a LICENSE that uses copyright for enforcement. That would imply it does eventually expire.

Software copyright would also expire, though again, our copyright period these days is pretty long.
Posted by: John Carroll   Posted on: 01/19/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Curious, when does a license end?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 01/19/06
That's an interesting question  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 01/19/06
Re: That's an interesting question  none none | 01/20/06
No and yes  Yagotta B. Kidding | 01/19/06
You Don't Need the GPL When the Copyright is Expired  Edward Meyers | 01/19/06
I once asked the same question of some luminary  John Le'Brecage | 01/19/06
Steamboat Willy  Roger Ramjet | 01/20/06
Re: Steamboat Willy  none none | 01/20/06
Re: Curious, when does a license end?  none none | 01/20/06
Under current law...  John L. Ries | 01/23/06
Ptented ideas can be used.  Anton Philidor | 01/19/06
Not necessarily  Yagotta B. Kidding | 01/19/06
Restricting the market.  Anton Philidor | 01/19/06
Except They Can't Lock It Up  Edward Meyers | 01/19/06
In a monopoly situation, yes.  Anton Philidor | 01/19/06
Anti-Trust Law  Edward Meyers | 01/19/06
Re: Restricting the market.  none none | 01/20/06
Re:  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 01/19/06
Expiration of ownership of ideas.  Anton Philidor | 01/19/06
Left out my last paragraphs  Anton Philidor | 01/19/06
Suicide  Yagotta B. Kidding | 01/19/06
Anti-trust?  Anton Philidor | 01/19/06
Bingo!!  Edward Meyers | 01/19/06
Re:  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 01/19/06
Has anyone since Thomas Jefferson, ...  Anton Philidor | 01/19/06
An interesting discussion...  Anton Philidor | 01/19/06
Just one nitpick..  John Le'Brecage | 01/19/06
this made me laugh  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 01/20/06
Too tired to research much...  John Le'Brecage | 01/20/06
Prozac..  John Le'Brecage | 01/20/06
Why "game" the system...  Anton Philidor | 01/20/06
Drug companies =are= a special case...  John Le'Brecage | 01/20/06
Ed Meyers to the rescue...  John Le'Brecage | 01/20/06
Re: Has anyone since Thomas Jefferson, ...  none none | 01/20/06
Re: Re:  none none | 01/20/06
Patents aren't used that way  Robert Crocker | 01/22/06
It is not ideas that benefit from protection, it is the expression of ideas  P. Douglas | 01/19/06
What about shorter patent periods?  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 01/19/06
Big Pharma Won't Go For It  Edward Meyers | 01/19/06
On the Length of Patents  theillmunkeys | 01/19/06
Copyrights Can Not Be Renewed  Edward Meyers | 01/19/06
Eliminating patents  theillmunkeys | 01/19/06
Re: Copyrights  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 01/20/06
Ideas Are Not Suppose To Be Patented Either  Edward Meyers | 01/20/06
BTW SInce You Seem Confused  Edward Meyers | 01/19/06
Re:  theillmunkeys | 01/19/06
Why do all patents have to be the same length?  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 01/19/06
Many Reasons  Edward Meyers | 01/19/06
Dang it Ed...  John Le'Brecage | 01/19/06
They don't...  John Le'Brecage | 01/19/06
How about trade secrets and reverse engineering laws?  P. Douglas | 01/19/06
The problem...  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 01/19/06
Limit Patents To NOT Protect Ideas  P. Douglas | 01/19/06
Also use reverse engineering laws  P. Douglas | 01/19/06
Reverse Engineering Laws can't Protect IP  theillmunkeys | 01/20/06
I don't see why reverse engineering laws can't protect IP  P. Douglas | 01/20/06
Re:  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 01/20/06
Patents really are not that great  P. Douglas | 01/20/06
Not all patents are for 19 years.  John Le'Brecage | 01/19/06
Thanks...  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 01/20/06
Not Mentioned Though  Edward Meyers | 01/20/06
Re: Not mentioned...  John Le'Brecage | 01/20/06
That Was Directed  Edward Meyers | 01/20/06
And Its up to 20 years  Edward Meyers | 01/20/06
Thank you for the update...  John Le'Brecage | 01/20/06
Re: That was directed...  John Le'Brecage | 01/20/06
Eeek! Badly worded...  John Le'Brecage | 01/20/06
The Actual Case  Edward Meyers | 01/20/06
Slowing knowledge transfer  ricochet_z | 01/23/06
Incremental Nature of Innovation  lmenningen | 01/24/06

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