Is (a possible) revised NWT prompted by lapsing copyright? (page 3)

Vidiot

Outlaw - "'The Bible is all about... US!'"

Funny.

I don't think even Rutherford or Knorr held that crazy-ass opinion.

Jeffro

slimboyfat:

so that would give them 95 years from 1950

No. The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures was published in 1961. Someone could copy the 'Greek' part of the text citing it as the older New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, but they couldn't copy the entire NWT (HS) as a single volume, nor could they copy the entire revision of the Greek Scriptures from that volume, without infringing copyright.

It's also not clear how releasing a new NWT (which probably wouldn't be substantially different from the old one anyway) would be of any advantage in regard to the copyright of the old version lapsing, as anyone could still copy the old volume anyway.

notsurewheretogo

Doesn't matter does it? The end is sooooooooooo close....

Snigger...

satinka

More edits?

satinka

GLTirebiter

Regarding the ownership and duration for the copyright, "work for hire" is an important distinction. Since the translators are known to have been Bethelites, if the translation was part of their assigned duties for the Society (and that fact was demonstrated to the satisfaction of a court), then there is a chance that the Society would be treated as the collective author. Though either way, the copyright has not expired, so that probably makes little difference at this point.

If the alternate theory is true, that the Society discontinued the old NWT and is delaying the next release to build up anticipation and other "buzz" for the new edition, it seems to be working. It has been quite a popular topic here!

Narcissistic Supply

Rockstars!!

mP

Narc

You think the FBI is going to enforce international copyright law for the benefit of these jokers???

mP:
You mean war ? The FBI has jurisdiction outside the uSA.

mP

If they want everybody to read the bible, why have copyright ? Wouldnt copying it be the right thing to do ?

slimboyfat

Yes just the CGS as I said on page 1. The point would presumably be to stop others circulating the text as it is still used in Kingdom Halls by producing a revised text. So the old text of 1950 would still fall into public domain, they can't stop that, but it wouldn't matter so much because Jehovah's Witnesses would now be using a different text.

processor

One more notice regarding copyright:

The United States used to require copyrights to be renewed after 28 years to stay in force. ... Works published before 1964 that did not have their copyrights renewed 28 years after first publication year also are in the public domain.

To my knowledge, the WTBS has never renewed copyrights for any publications, that's why all their works up to 1963 can be freely downloaded from everywhere. There are also companies selling their scans of their old books.

So, to the 1950 and 1961 editions, neither the 70-year-rule nor the 95-year-rule apply, and of coures the 'last printing' doesn't matter at all. Both editions are already in the public domain since 1979 and 1990.

Is (a possible) revised NWT prompted by lapsing copyright?

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