[Fsf-friends] Transferability of Copyright

[Annamalai Gurusami]

Hi All,

I have been perusing the Indian Copyright Office website at

http://www.copyright.gov.in

In that website copyright is talked about as some sort of author's
special rights.  If that is the real purpose of the copyright act,
then why does it allow the transfer of copyright from one person (or
organisation) to another?  

Does it make sense to ask for an amendment to make the copyright
non-transferable?  IANAL, hence this question.  Any thoughts on this?  

Some of the +ve effects of such clause would be,

1.  The authors would always be in control.  The publishers can
    license the work from the authors.   

2.  If the author dies, the copyrighted work gets to public domain.
    Or inherited by his/her family.  

3.  No author can be forced or pressurized to transfer copyright.  For
    example, if you want us to publish your paper you have to transfer
    the copyright to us.  (http://cr.yp.to/writing/ieee.html).

All your comments are welcome.  Thank you.

This is also reproduced here.

http://missingrainbow.wordpress.com/2006/04/19/transferability-of-copyright/

Rgds,
anna

-- 

"Three women cannot deliver 1 baby in three months" - analogy on R&D
time planning