> Copyright should be 5 years by default, for free, but you can extend it every 5 years up to 20 years, but you'd have to pay say $1,000 every time.
I'd much prefer a regime with a short free period (I've always used 7 years, but 5 is close enough), after which you have to extend it by declaring a value and paying an an annual ad valorem tax on the declared value (say, 1-2%).
The declared value would be the basis for a limitation on damages in infringement suits, and would also constitute a binding offer to transfer the copyright on the work to the public domain on a tender of payment of the stated amount.
I'd much prefer a regime with a short free period (I've always used 7 years, but 5 is close enough), after which you have to extend it by declaring a value and paying an an annual ad valorem tax on the declared value (say, 1-2%).
The declared value would be the basis for a limitation on damages in infringement suits, and would also constitute a binding offer to transfer the copyright on the work to the public domain on a tender of payment of the stated amount.