I thought this was interesting. 

http://on-ruby.blogspot.com/2007/01/abandoned-projects-bus-proofing-and.html


Ron

> From: Stéphane Rollandin
> 
> Craig Latta wrote:
> >      Since copyright persists after death in many jurisdictions, the
> > current stance is that we will not include those contributions without
> > some other indication as to their licensing terms.
> 
> that's sad.
> 
> I would not like than, when I die, my public work becomes unavailable
> just because I'm not here anymore to sign a paper. That's another kind
> of death.
> 
> Shall we now all carry an "intellectual property donor" card so that we
> can drop dead anytime without fear that our fellow human beings feel
> obliged to forget what we have done ?
> 
> 
> Stef
> 
>