"Most states have laws governing what is to be done with
property that has been abandoned. In one state the amount of
time before something is considered abandoned ranges from a
mere 2 years up to 15 years. After that maximum -- depending
on the type of property -- the property can be put up for
auction, absorbed by the holder of the property, or possibly
revert to the state, again depending on the property in
question. The laws vary between states, but the principle is
there. Property that is not claimed after a reasonable amount
of time ceases to belong to the owner."
"Think of how this might apply to intellectual property. Copyright
law allows an inordinate amount of time before works revert to
the public domain -- author's life plus 70 years, and 95 years
on corporate copyright. But, what if the owner of this property
had to make sure it was kept available in order to keep the copyright? Any work that has
been out of print for more than 15 years probably isn't going to earn its owner anything
more anyway. What if these works automatically reverted to the public domain? Couldn't
this be a compromise between the entertainment industry and the public? Either the work
must be kept available for purchase or else it is available for free, but it is always available."
