RE: New US Bill re. Copyright/Federal Funding

[jean.claude.guedon@umontreal.ca]

This is an amusing response. As if cynicism could not become standard 
practice...

Jean-Claude Guedon

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu on behalf of Joseph J. Esposito
Sent: Wed 9/17/2008 6:35 PM
To: liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
Subject: Re: New US Bill re. Copyright/Federal Funding

I note the following from this thread:

"it is standard publishing industry practice to pretend to assert 
protection for authors because that appears to make the fight 
more idealistic."

JE:  This is too strong.  Every publishing contract I have ever 
seen has a clause in it to the effect that the publisher has a 
positive obligation to protect the author's copyright.  No doubt 
there are contracts (works for hire, etc.) where this is not 
stipulated, but to call cynicism a standard practice is 
overreaching.

(I have no opinion as to the legal issues surrounding the NIH matter.)

Joe Esposito