CLipka a écrit :
> "Vincent Le Chevalier" <gal### [at] libertyALLsurfSPAMfr> schrieb im 
> Newsbeitrag news:494c25f3$1@news.povray.org...
>> Any similar debate in other countries? Just to undermine my faith in 
>> humanity a little bit more ;-)
> 
> I don't think this could happen in Germany. Here, so-and-so-many years (I 
> guess something like 70) after an author's death his works are free for the 
> taking in every respect. Maybe the press might jump on such topics though, 
> ranting about cultural decline and all.
> 

Well yes, as far as I understand the situation is similar in France, 
though I'm not sure about the time period involved. Hugo's work is in 
public domain allright.

But french law also defines a moral right that the author can exert, 
preventing modifications and more generally enforcing the respect of his 
work. This moral right never expires, and can be transfered to heirs ad 
infinitum. I think the trials are fought based on this right.

However, I thought that this right essentially prevented modifications 
or even destruction of the work, changes of attribution and so on. I 
think it's fine though I'm not too sure it should be transfered to 
descendants. But here the original work is not touched at all... In 
essence it's a bit as if they were trying to prevent anyone from writing 
something bad about the original books.

I guess we'll have to find the authors of the New Testament and sue them 
for trying to write a somewhat disparaging sequel to the Old Testament :-)

-- 
Vincent

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