Date   : Wed, 13 Jun 1984 09:28:00 CDT
From   : DBrown@HI-MULTICS.ARPA
Subject: Re: keeping modm700 in the public domain

  Well, I shan't comment on the legality of claiming copyright of
previously published material:  it varies with whether you adhere to the
Berne conventions or not.
  However, copyright can be used to keep a published work available, if
not really in the public domain.
  (1) Claim copyright on your own behalf, and that of the
      previous authors
  (2) Make use of the program contingent on acceptance of a
      contractual obligation
  (3) Make the contract enforce the accessability requirements
      you desire.
  The following is at least close to correct in Canada:

     Copyright (C) 1965, 1967, 1983 XXX.YYY
         A free and unrestricted licence to use, modify and
     distribute this program is granted, subject to acceptance
     of the following requirements:
         That this notice appear unchanged in the program
     source and executable
         That the program be distributed in full source
     to any further recipients, and
         That .... <whatever you want here>.

  This does NOT prevent a person from claiming copyright on extensions,
or refusing to release his copyrighted parts to the public domain.  It
does keep him from from simply claiming that "no-one owned it so I took
it".
  --dave (unix hack on a bun) brown
    DBrown @ HI-MULTICS.ARPA
    watbun!drbrown @ watmath.UUCP