>> Well if I use some public domain code, and I modify it a bit
 >> (ie MY work), then I want the result to be copyrighted by me,
 >> since it's my work. I thought I could do this with PD code.

 dn> The modifications are, of course, yours. But the PD code remains PD code.


 >> Now what happens when the only change I make is a 1-byte
 >> change?

 dn> You own that byte, completely, wholly and inescapably unless you transfer
 dn> title to someone else.

Yes, but what I want to know is how I can signify that.  Basically, those 5
bytes that I changed in the 100k source file, are inescapably mine, and I
want to mark the whole source file as copyrighted by me, because the
changes are lost forever, I don't know which 5 bytes they were, but I do
know that they, and any further modifications are mine.

In other words, I think I should be able to replace the PD notice in the
file with my own copyright notice (even if that's the only change I've made
so far), and be within my rights.  So long as people get the code from the
ORIGINAL source (with the PD notice on it), that is OK, but if they so much
as touch my stuff, I'll sue them to buggery.

Do you agree now?

Paul

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