Apparently Terry Childs wrote three books on this Fiberwan network, and the City of San Francisco objected to it, so it was never copyrighted. Wouldn’t the city then be stifling innovation? One government agency telling another government agency not to copyright something created by a citizen? Isn’t the whole point of the copyright and patent office to provide incentives for innovation? If Terry Childs was an independant contractor, would he then have the right to copyright what he supposedly innovated?..And does he then lose his rights as a citizen if he becomes employed by the City and County of San Francisco?
If that’s the case, then how could SF ever expect to hire anybody to innovate, or even build a network from scratch.. Is SF going to be stuck in Windows 95 forever?. SF is never going to get the really smart people if they’re going to be owned lock stock and three smoking barrels, because the really smart people won’t even bother applying for the position after this fiasco
It sounds like everything started to go downhill when this happened
from the US Copyright Office
MPLS VPN fiberwan computer program design and configuration : vols. I , 2,…
Type of Work: Text
Registration Number / Date: TXu001575502 / 2008-01-17
Application Title: MPLS VPN fiberwan computer program design and configuration : vols. I , 2, 3 Second Edition.
Title: MPLS VPN fiberwan computer program design and configuration : vols. I , 2, 3 Second Edition.
Description: Print material, 3 v.
Copyright Claimant: Terry Scott Childs. Address: P.O. Box 23865, Pleasant Hill, California, 94523
Date of Creation: 2008
Authorship on Application: Terry Scott Childs, 1964- ; Citizenship: United States. Authorship: Computer Program.
Alternative Title on Application: MPLS VPN fiberwan computer program design and configuration : vols. I , 2
Previous Registration: 2007, TXu 1-365-055.
Pre-existing Material: MPLS VPN fiberwan computer program design and configuration : vols. 1 2.
Basis of Claim: Computer Program.
Copyright Note: C.O. correspondence.
Names: Childs, Terry Scott, 1964-