Re: gettext 0.14.3 examples: copyright vs. public domain

[Bruno Haible]

Karl Berry wrote:
> I just noticed that the example files in gettext 0.14.3 (that is, in
> gettext-tools/examples/*) start with
>
>    Copyright (C) 2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
>    This file is in the public domain.
>
> These are mutually exclusive -- either something is copyrighted, or it's
> in the public domain.  Can't be both.  I suggest changing the copyright
> line to something like "Created 2003 for the Free Software Foundation...".

Hi,

Somewhere I read that in order to give away the copyrights on something
you need to first assert that you are the only copyright holder. This is
what the two-line notice achieves. See also
http://www.ucop.edu/ott/crbasics.html#notice

The two lines are not exclusive:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain#Disclaimer_of_interest
says: "A copyright holder can explicitly disclaim any proprietary interest
in the work, effectively granting it to the public domain..."

Also, if the FSF wants to reuse the code under other licenses, and since
the FSF wants clarity about the origin of works it distributes, it's good
to know that the files originated under the FSF's copyright.

Bruno