Holmes is Public Domain

I just checked to see how Les Klinger's lawsuit was going, and the judge ruled in his favor. Sherlock Holmes and other story material in Doyle's pre-1923 works is in the public domain. Anything that's exclusively in the later stories is still in copyright (in the US) and requires a license to use. All the stories are already in the public domain in other countries.

Hooray! This New York Times article states that the Conan Doyle Estate will appeal the ruling, but for now we have a victory. Thanks to Klinger for being so brave, on behalf of all writers of pastiche and fanfic.

Pardoned

I missed this news earlier in the week, but Alan Turing has been pardoned. Yeah, it's many years overdue, and the article touches on the fact that lots of other men were convicted under the same law and should be pardoned too. But overall I think the pardon is a good thing, and I'm also cheered up by the gay couples getting married in Utah lately. I hope the eventual court ruling goes their way, and that more states make it legal soon.

I'm trying to catch up on news lately but American news is so insular and focused on silly controversies. I have to watch BBC News to get any idea of what's going on in the world. Well it's past Christmas already and I'll try to look forward to the New Year. Got to get some writing done, and then tomorrow I'll finally see the finale episode of Nikita. I hope it's good.