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KaVir · 06-23-2009, 01:51 PM

No, it isn't. It's possible for a licence to also be a contract, but that isn't necessarily the case. Note that while a bare licence can be revoked at any time, the same is not true of a contract.

You might find this of interest:

"A third problem with bare licenses is that they may be revocable by the licensor. Specifically, a license not coupled with an interest may be revoked. The term interest in this context usually means the payment of some royalty or license fee, but there are other more complicated ways to satisfy the interest requirement. For example, a licensee can demonstrate that he or she has paid some consideration–a contract law term not found in copyright or patent law–in order to avoid revocation. Or a licensee may claim that he or she relied on the software licensed under an open source license and now is dependent upon that software, but this contract law concept, called promissory estoppel, is both difficult to prove and unreliable in court tests. (The concepts of consideration and promissory estoppel are explained more fully in the next section.) Unless the courts allow us to apply these contract law principles to a license, we are faced with a bare license that is revocable."

Within 40 years, but after 35 years. See here:

"Section 304(c) of the Copyright Act, says that a copyright owner (or his or her heirs) can terminate all grants, licenses or transfers of rights (made prior to 1978) beginning on the 56th year after that assignment was made. This allows authors to benefit from laws that extended the term of copyright from 56 years to 95 years. The Copyright Act provides a five year period beginning in the 56th year, in which these grants, licenses and transfers may be terminated."

"Post-1977 grants, such as a songwriter agreement with a music publisher, may be terminated during a five year period beginning 35 years after the grant was made. To exercise the 35-year right of termination, authors must give written notice not less than two or more than ten years from the intended termination date."

If you issued the current licence in 1994, then you can revoke it in 2029.

06-23-2009, 01:51 PM	#49
KaVir Legend Join Date: Apr 2002 Name: Richard Home MUD: God Wars II Posts: 2,052	Re: Compliance reminder if your MUD uses OLC No, it isn't. It's possible for a licence to also be a contract, but that isn't necessarily the case. Note that while a bare licence can be revoked at any time, the same is not true of a contract. You might find this of interest: "A third problem with bare licenses is that they may be revocable by the licensor. Specifically, a license not coupled with an interest may be revoked. The term interest in this context usually means the payment of some royalty or license fee, but there are other more complicated ways to satisfy the interest requirement. For example, a licensee can demonstrate that he or she has paid some consideration–a contract law term not found in copyright or patent law–in order to avoid revocation. Or a licensee may claim that he or she relied on the software licensed under an open source license and now is dependent upon that software, but this contract law concept, called promissory estoppel, is both difficult to prove and unreliable in court tests. (The concepts of consideration and promissory estoppel are explained more fully in the next section.) Unless the courts allow us to apply these contract law principles to a license, we are faced with a bare license that is revocable." Within 40 years, but after 35 years. See here: "Section 304(c) of the Copyright Act, says that a copyright owner (or his or her heirs) can terminate all grants, licenses or transfers of rights (made prior to 1978) beginning on the 56th year after that assignment was made. This allows authors to benefit from laws that extended the term of copyright from 56 years to 95 years. The Copyright Act provides a five year period beginning in the 56th year, in which these grants, licenses and transfers may be terminated." "Post-1977 grants, such as a songwriter agreement with a music publisher, may be terminated during a five year period beginning 35 years after the grant was made. To exercise the 35-year right of termination, authors must give written notice not less than two or more than ten years from the intended termination date." If you issued the current licence in 1994, then you can revoke it in 2029. Last edited by KaVir : 06-23-2009 at 01:58 PM.