On Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 01:26:09AM -0700, Ted Walther wrote:
quoted text
> There were no files.  I made up my own music file format.  I took some
> hundred year old sheet music, and based on how I interpet it, I composed
> my particular music files.  From my music files, I automatically
> generate PDF sheet music, midi, ogg, and mp3.  The PDF sheet music is
> not identical to the original sheet music.

Then as I understand it your interpretation is correct: the original
works are in the public domain, and your performance and derived works
are copyright by you.

quoted text
> I'm a believer in freedom.  I don't want to restrict anyone from using
> my newly formatted renditions of old, out of copyright music.  
> I want to let people know that I renounce any copyright claims to the
> material on the website.  So the options are:
>
> 1) public domain
> 2) creative commons license
> 3) BSD license
>
> If I do not state this renunciation of copyright somehow, people,
> especially legal people, may assume some sort of copyright exists.

If you truly wish to relinquish ALL rights then public domain is exactly
that. This is obviously the most free.

If additionally you wish to retain attribution only then
/usr/src/share/misc/license.template is a great choice. This is probably
the most free except for public domain.

If it bothers you if Microsoft uses your performance in a Vista ad then
you must pick something else. But now you are in a sticky place where
you want to share except when you don't. The available licenses are
tricky legalese, and finding one to match your motives is difficult and
the license may have consequences you don't anticipate.

-- 
Darrin Chandler            |  Phoenix BSD User Group  |  MetaBUG
dwchandler@stilyagin.com   |  http://phxbug.org/      |  http://metabug.org/
http://www.stilyagin.com/  |  Daemons in the Desert   |  Global BUG Federation