[Boatanchors] 73 Magazine pdf files

[Glen Zook]

Virtually all of the publications of the United States Government are in the public domain.  You can copyright the presentation of things which are in the public domain but cannot copyright the text.  That is you could retype the material and could copyright the actual format.  As such, someone could not just make a photocopy, etc., and reproduce the material.  They could, however, retype the material and obtain a copyright on that format.

Some people write an introduction to the material and that introduction is copyrighted although the actual text of the document is in the public domain.  As for the PDF:  Someone else could scan the original document and then create a PDF and then copyright that particular version.  However, it would be a copyright violation just to send out the original PDF file.  Since PDF is an "open" mode you cannot copyright the fact that the document is presented in PDF format.  But, you can copyright the actual scanning of the document even though someone else can do exactly the same thing.

You can make a CD-ROM or DVD and copyright the media.  However, if the text were in the public domain that information cannot be copyrighted!  As such, you couldn't legally copy the CD-ROM or DVD but you could create your own CD-ROM of DVD of the material!

Clear as mud!

Glen, K9STH

Website:  http://k9sth.com


--- On Sat, 5/15/10, Francesco Ledda <frledda at verizon.net> wrote:

I have seen pdf copies of old Air Force flight manual sold with a copyright statement covering the electronic copy from the seller.  
 
I understand that the seller took the time to scan the originals and assemble the final pdf document. Does this give him/her the right to claim copyrights on the document?  Just wondering.....