Rhyne and Rhyn explain: Copyright
Just for something to help inform those out there about orphan works, creative commons, and public domain
The middle aged gentlemen enters left and young gnoll clad in bone armor approached from the right
Rhyne: Hello everybody! My right brained counterpart and I are here to explain copyright...
Rhyn: ...and how you can protect it from theft!
Rhyne: See what most furs out there don't realize is that most of their works are technically considered Orphan works to some degree, leaving them vulnerable to theft.
Rhyn: What is an orphan work specifically? And how are most furry publications vulnerable because of it? I thought most works were copyright once they are made?
Rhyne: Yes and No, to clarify what an Orphan work is and properly define, is a work where the copyright holder is unable to be contacted or presumed deceased. Which means that anything they've created becomes orphan work, and basically enables anyone who wishes to do so, use it as long as no one comes around to claim it, not to mention proving that they're the original owner is going to be difficult at best.
Rhyn: Ah, I see! So if a member of the fandom publishes something and they abandon furrydom, their works are left for scavenge, but are we not orphan works ourselves?
Rhyne: Unfortunately it is the sad truth that if someone disappears and has no viable method of being contacted, their works become orphaned. Thankfully, in our situation we are protected by a creative commons license that states anyone can utilize us as long as they are not profiting from our usage. In fact, the simple use of creative commons can counter their works becoming orphaned even after their long gone.
Rhyn: Let me guess, the writer was too cheap to file a copyright notice and used a fictional license to keep us safe.
Rhyne: Actually, the creative commons license both protects us and those who wish to produce derivative works using us as long as they cite their source. In most cases, it protect us from the stringent United States copyright laws that keep changing due to Disney trying maintain their copyright on that stupid mouse. Well technically steamboat willie is public domain but not the Mickey, but many other great works are public domain.
Rhyn: Brilliant, so this prevents us from being used by commercial publishers for profit and the writer can transfer his copyright to his descendants?
Rhyne: Hold that thought Hoss, yes it does protect us from being utilized by commercial publishers to wrongfully gain profit but we would still have to enter public domain after the allotted time period, then we are vulnerable.
Rhyn: I don't see how us entering the public domain is unpreferred, I thought it was supposed to be good in this case.
Rhyne: Believe it or not, it can be a bit of both. See back in the day when Samuel Clemens, AKA Mark Twain, was around, he was both pro and anti-copyright in the sense that he was afraid once his work entered public domain. A publishing company could simply use his works to generate a profit while his descendants, who technically owned the copyright before it passed into public domain, without having to pay them royalties. So it's easy to understand his viewpoint on the matter and I likewise would enjoy my descendants of having the option to reap the rewards of my effort.
Rhyn: it seems like they could benefit from possessing the notion of creative commons back then.
Rhyne: Exactly, and if Creative commons became a part of the actual copyright systems we have in place today, it would be easier to generate content. For example, back in H.P. Lovecraft's day, he would have reveled in the idea of creative commons since he was all about sharing his work, though his stuff is public domain as of January 1st, 2008. So creative commons saves both the writer and his followers the hassle of dealing with the elabore intricacies involved.
Rhyn: Well, I shall go write my own story of my encounters of the third kind!
Rhyne: To ladies and gentlemen out there, protect your works with creative commons and have a good day!