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Date: Tue, 7 Feb 1995 11:23:24 +0100
From: gehrke@rrzn.uni-hannover.de (Wilhelm Gehrke)
Message-Id: <9502071023.AA00484@sun204w.rrzn-nis.uni-hannover.de>
To: SC22WG5@dkuug.dk
Subject: copyright problem
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I made the following experiences regarding the copyright of the
Fortran standard:

DIN has refused permission to translate the Fortran standard document 
(both ISO 1539:1991 and DIN EN 21539:1992) into German.

DIN EN 21539 is the standard document standardized by the DIN;
this document is an English-language (photo)copy
of ISO/IEC 1539:1991 with a German-language foreword
and with an English-German list of technical (Fortran) terms.

My plan was to produce a German-language version of the document which  
looks exactly like the English-language one such that the result of
the project could also be used as ISO 1539 (_D_).

In cooperation with the NI-22/AK5-Fortran (which is the German
Fortran WG of the DIN), a new English-German list of technical
terms was developed to be used for this project.

But:

1. In 1993, the Fortran AK applied the DIN authorities (NI) for fundings
   to support the translation project. This was rejected because the funds
   for translations were exhausted.

2. In 1994, I asked ISO's permission to translate ISO 1539:1991. But ISO
   (Hoefflin@isocs.iso.ch) emailed: "We are sending your request to our
   member body in Germany, DIN, who will handle this matter."

3. Recently, DIN's legal department has refused permission to publish a 
   translation of DIN EN 21539:1992 and/or ISO/IEC 1539:1991.
   Summarizing the most important reasons and arguments:

   a) Because ISO has authorized DIN to handle the matter, DIN can decide
      according to its own rules.

   b) Because DIN doesn't have appropriate rules regarding such a project, 
      DIN has applied its rules for translations of German-language standards 
      into foreign (i.e. non-German) languages for the decision on this 
      translation project.

   c) Fees have to be paid to DIN for every translated page and for every
      copy of a book using any part of the standard document.

   d) DIN has the right to receive a free copy of the work and to produce
      and to distribute any number of free copies to whom they want.

   e) A publication based on the standard document could be possible, if
      the text of the standard were embedded within about 800 pages of
      additional text.

   f) A publication based on the standard document could be possible, if the
      form of the publication were such that it doesn't look like a standard.

   etc.

I'm convinced that strict application of these rules would allow DIN to forbid
publishing a book like the "Fortran 90 Handbook" by Adams et. al. 

What I have learned, is this:
Signs are increasing in number that Fortran does no longer need protection by 
copyright but that Fortran will need protection against the copyright.

We (i.e. the Fortran AK) are still searching for a solution to this dilemma.


Wilhelm Gehrke, RRZN/UH               
Schlosswenderstr. 5, D-30159 Hannover  
EMail: gehrke@rrzn.uni-hannover.de