c/technology · by gwl@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 248d

Happy Public Domain Day everyone

https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2026/

Direct quote from the page:

Please note that this site is only about US law; the copyright terms in other countries are different.[2]

On January 1, 2026, thousands of copyrighted works from 1930 enter the US public domain, along with sound recordings from 1925. They will be free for all to copy, share, and build upon

448 points · 29 comments · view on lemmy.world

29 Comments

sns@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 77 pts · 248d (6 replies)

We've been robbed of the public domain - pirate everything with a clear conscience.

gwl@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 32 pts · 248d (5 replies)

Yeah, it's currently Life of Creator + 70 years, which is fucking ridiculous

Limonene@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 247d (4 replies)

Has any software ever entered the public domain through copyright expiration? I think software at least 70 years old (125 years for corporate created) when its copyright expires prevents it from being any benefit at all.

Mondez@lemdro.id · 9 pts · 247d

Worse, unless you have the source code to that 70 year old software it's probably even less useful.

gwl@lemmy.blahaj.zone · -2 pts · 247d (2 replies)

Software in general is actually very hard to copyright, as you cannot legally copyright code, the most you're allowed to do is patent the process the code is doing.

More often the copyright applies to everything else, like the brand, and the UI

Mondez@lemdro.id · 13 pts · 247d (1 reply)

No, copyright applies specifically to the code, eulas and copyleft such as GPL rely on that fact. The logic itself can't be, but the specific implementation can. It's why clean room reverse engineering is fine, but a tainted decompilation direct from a binary may not be.

gwl@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 1 pts · 247d

Ooh yeah I always forget that

A_norny_mousse@feddit.org · 28 pts · 248d (1 reply)

I love the use of color in some movie posters and book covers; clearly full color reproduction had not become the default (in public perception) yet:

gwl@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 9 pts · 248d

Also I love how it's obviously been hand painted

ShaggySnacks@lemmy.myserv.one · 26 pts · 247d

This just highlights how badly copy right law in general needs to be reformed.

kilgore_trout@feddit.it · 20 pts · 248d (1 reply)

2026 is Public Domain - Wikipedia

Kissaki@feddit.org · 5 pts · 247d

I had no idea the 50 years after death was the "minimum" and some countries add more years :O

/edit: I was a bit confused about the +50 list listing European countries, but the text saying something different.

In most countries of Africa and Asia, as well as Belarus, Bolivia, New Zealand and Uruguay; a work enters the public domain 50 years after the creator's death.

In Bangladesh, India, and Venezuela a work enters the public domain 60 years after the creator's death.

With the exception of Belarus (Life + 50 years) and Spain (which has a copyright term of Life + 80 years for creators that died before 1987), a work enters the public domain in Europe 70 years after the creator's death, if it was published during the creator's lifetime.

United States: Under the Copyright Term Extension Act, books published in 1930, films released in 1930, and other works published in 1930, will enter the public domain in 2026.

Cocodapuf@lemmy.world · 15 pts · 247d (1 reply)

One of the now public films is the war film "Hell's Angels" (about fighter pilots, not bikers). It's directed by Howard Hughes, I thought "that's odd" because he was an airplane designer, not a director; so I looked it up on Wikipedia. The more I read the more Hughes' project sounded like a parallel to dumb shit Elon is doing, buying a social media outlet... okay, making a major motion picture... sure, firing a third of the company and running it into the ground... predictable, getting several people killed during filming and never recouping the cost of production... wow.

Hughes has a reputation as an eccentric reclusive genius, he designed some great aircraft, he made a lot of money, but he was problematic whenever he stepped out of his lane. We're probably lucky he never got into politics.

But here's what really caught my eye, (I'll quote from the Wikipedia page).

When Paul Mantz, the principal stunt pilot, informed Hughes that a stunt in the final scene was too dangerous, Hughes piloted the aircraft himself, but crashed; he suffered a skull fracture and had to undergo facial surgery as well. Three stunt pilots and a mechanic died in accidents during filming.

I'm not sure if Hughes really "learned his lesson" from that, but I'm willing to bet that coming that close to death would affect anyone. How do we get Elon to do anything that would actually give him pause? How do we get him a life altering experience (not necessarily a near death experience, but I'm not oppressed to that either)?

gwl@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 3 pts · 247d

He needs a near-death experience IMO

kilgore_trout@feddit.it · 12 pts · 248d

Standard Books new entries in 2026

selokichtli@lemmy.ml · 12 pts · 247d

It's ridiculous. Fuck the Mickey Mouse Protection Act.

JensSpahnpasta@feddit.org · 12 pts · 247d (1 reply)

Just a little warning: US copyright works different than copyright in other countries. So be careful if you're not living in the land of the crazy orange one and look up your local rules. Publishers will defend their copyrights even if something is public domain in the US.

gwl@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 2 pts · 247d

I did quote that, but thanks for extra details

Zen_Shinobi@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 247d (2 replies)

A little early to celebrate? ;)

gwl@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 1 pts · 247d (1 reply)

No, it's not, release from copyright is incredibly well protected under law, despite multiple multiple multiple attempts to make it not so.

It's one of the few things that's bipartisan, that once copyright on something finally does end, it should be illegal to sue someone for trying to make something with it

ohulancutash@feddit.uk · 9 pts · 247d

They mean it isn’t Jan 1 yet.

bernhoftbret@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 247d

[ removed ]

kilgore_trout@feddit.it · 8 pts · 248d (4 replies)

What will enter Public Domain in 2026?

southsamurai@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 248d (2 replies)

So it goes

kilgore_trout@feddit.it · 2 pts · 247d (1 reply)

No work of his is entering public domain this year, unfortunately.

southsamurai@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 247d

Yeah, it'll be a while yet