Russell vx. Panzer

["Joseph J. Esposito" <espositoj@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Both sides are right on this matter, in my view.  It is indeed much more
burdensome for an individual to deal with all the compliance issues
concerning copyright registration and renewal than it is for a company.  The
reason:  This is what companies do:  plan, organize, execute.  Personally, I
would find it difficult to get my taxes done if I hadn't hired an
accountant, who bullies me to great effect.  But the burden to authors and
their heirs is irrelevant.  In my opinion, the proposed law doesn't go far
enough.  Books should go into the public domain six
months after they are not readily available in the marketplace.  There are
so many means of keeping books in print (or in useful electronic form,
including the hybrid print-on-demand) nowadays that there is no excuse for
books "disappearing."  So, ironclad copyright law, I say, with the
responsibility to make works available:  Use 'em or lose 'em.

Now we can have an interesting debate on what constitutes a book's being
"readily available."

Joe Esposito