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/lit/ - Literature

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2233061 No.2233061 [Reply] [Original]

I'm not sure where to post this. It is about using a dead author intellectual property. Philip K. Dick died before I was even born. Can I use any part of his work with commercial purposes? How can I know if anyone holds the copyright? I know he married several times but I don't know if he had any kids, or if maybe his publisher or any of the wives can actually retain copyright for his work.

Thanks

>> No.2233067

I can assure you someone still holds the copyright under US law, but I can't say who.

But yeah, it would be illegal to use it without the rights.

>> No.2233068

try selling copies of a scanner darkly under your name and let us know how it works out

>> No.2233071

I would presume the same laws regarding intellectual property surrounding musical works apply to literature too.

Once a certain amount of time has passed since the work is released, the copyright expires and is unrenewable.

Without looking it up I'm unsure of the duration, but I do know that the Beatles early work is now in the public domain, so the length of time isn't too great.

>> No.2233074

http://copyright.cornell.edu/resources/publicdomain.cfm

It will be under copyright for about 75 years after his death. Except, before that 75 years is up, there will probably be another extension purchased by the content industry so don't expect the public domain to ever subsume your favorite works.

>> No.2233080

I see, thanks