[OSM-legal-talk] Does importing data give you a copyright?

[Anthony]

On Wed, Sep 15, 2010 at 9:19 PM, Dave F. <davefox at madasafish.com> wrote:
>  On 16/09/2010 01:12, John Smith wrote:
>>
>> This happens all the time, new CDs are released of out of copyright
>> music that copy is then re-protected.
>>
>
> Would that protection only apply to the physical characteristics of the CD,
> such as printed inlay sleeves?
> Does the music not remain in the public domain?

I can only quote US law (and Frederick's question is specifically
addressed to non-US law), but:

"The copyright in a compilation or derivative work extends only to the
material contributed by the author of such work, as distinguished from
the preexisting material employed in the work, and does not imply any
exclusive right in the preexisting material. The copyright in such
work is independent of, and does not affect or enlarge the scope,
duration, ownership, or subsistence of, any copyright protection in
the preexisting material."