Re: More fun with Title 17 USC

[<joemoore@iegrec.org>]

Anthony DeRobertis said:
> (Sec. 201(a)):
> 	Copyright in a work protected under this title vests initially
> 	in the author or authors of the work.  The authors of a joint
> 	work are coowners of copyright in the work.
>
> So, I wonder, how many open-source works qualify as joint works? There
>  would certainly be some benefits (e.g., making clear who can sue for
> copyright infringement --- any of the authors) but some serious
> downsides too (like any of the authors being able to grant
> non-exclusive licenses, without the other authors' consent).

I don't think one coowner would be able to change the license terms of the
work as a whole without the consent of the other coowners.

Real property that is co-owned requires consent of all owners to be
transferred (such as a house that is coowned by husband and wife, etc).

--Joe