Without the license specified, the author still retains the copyright.
Just one minor correction: The author holds the copyright regardless of whether the code is released under a license (open source or proprietary) or not. The fact that he is the copyright holder is what gives him the right to release the code under any license (and change the license later, should he wish to do so).
Just one minor correction: The author holds the copyright regardless of whether the code is released under a license (open source or proprietary) or not. The fact that he is the copyright holder is what gives him the right to release the code under any license (and change the license later, should he wish to do so).