<Dd> (b) MAINTENANCE OF RECORDS; PUBLICATION OF INFORMATION--The Register of Copyrights is authorized to maintain current, separate records relating to the recordation of documents under subsection (a), and to compile and publish at periodic intervals information relating to such recordations . Such publications shall be offered for sale to the public at prices based on the cost of reproduction and distribution . </Dd> <Dd> (c) DEPOSIT OF COPIES IN LIBRARY OF CONGRESS--In the case of public domain computer shareware, at the election of the person recording a document under subsection (a), 2 complete copies of the best edition (as defined in section 101 of title 17, United States Code) of the computer shareware as embodied in machine - readable form may be deposited for the benefit of the Machine - Readable Collections Reading Room of the Library of Congress . </Dd> <Dd> (d) REGULATIONS--The Register of Copyrights is authorized to establish regulations not inconsistent with law for the administration of the functions of the Register under this section . All regulations established by the Register are subject to the approval of the Librarian of Congress . </Dd> <P> One purpose of this legislation appears to be to allow "public domain shareware" to be filed at the Library of Congress, presumably so that the shareware would be more widely disseminated . Therefore, one way to release computer software into the public domain might be to make the filing and pay the $20 fee . This could have the effect of "certifying" that the author intended to release the software into the public domain . It does not seem that registration is necessary to release the software into the public domain, because the law does not state that public domain status is conferred by registration . Judicial rulings supports this conclusion, see below . </P>

When does music go into the public domain