From: "Dee Flint" on Sun, Jan 28 2007 9:04 am

"John Smith I" wrote in message

John,

Here's a site that summarizes if documents are still under copyright or not.

http://www.copyright.cornell.edu/tra...lic_Domain.htm

I would suggest going to the SOURCE of all US Copyright
information and protection:

www.copyright.gov

The Copyright Office has a number of quite-clear pages on exactly
what a Copyright IS, who is protected, what constitutes a
Copyright, etc.

Basically if the work was published in 1923 or later, there is a potential
for it to be still under copyright. Copyright laws have changed a lot.

Not quite correct. The first major upheaval in US Copyright
Law of "modern times" happened with Public Law 94-553
passed on 19 Oct 76.

As of 1 Jan 78, any work created on or after that date was
protected for "life plus 50," or the lifetime of the author
or corporate entity plus 50 years. This was later amended
to "life plus 70" [see PL 105-298]

Any work created BEFORE 1 Jan 78 had a number of different
protections, between 28 and 47 years after creation. After
the URAA (Uruguay Round Agreements Act) that was
amended to 75 years with a possible total of 95 years. To
pin those protections down to nit-picky detail would require
the aid of a Copyright attorney who must include changes
from Public Law 105-298. Legal help is suggested when
there is question of a change of ownership of Copyrights, a
subject much more convoluted in details.

In essence, by Law, government works CANNOT be
copyrighted. A corporate entity (such as the ARRL) CAN
copyright their works but there is a very grey area on who
owns what when such entities INCLUDE non-copyrightable
works such as government regulations.

For the complete regulations on Patents, Trademarks, and
Copyrights see Title 37 Code of Federal Regulations available
free for download from the US Government Printing Office
website.