-----Original Message-----
From: Hal Finney <hal@rain.org>
To: extropians@extropy.com <extropians@extropy.com>
Date: 08 January 1999 23:45
Subject: Re: Abstract forms of property
>Suppose you set up a radio system on your property, just for personal
>use, such that not much radio energy leaks onto your neighbors. But the
>guy next door is trying to build a radio telescope, and his equipment
>is so sensitive that your low power transmissions interfere with his
>observations.
>
>He ought to be able to come to you and pay you not to emit radio waves of
>a frequency and power level which will interfere with your observations.
>I'm sure that we will all agree that this would be a legitimate contract.
Or he could tell you that leaking any frequencies form youtr land onto his was a violation of his property and you should get the hell off.
>It seems that the view of the EM spectrum as property is consistent with
>the view that people have the right to do what they want on their own
>property, as long as you set up the initial allocations correctly. Start
>off with the rights in the hands of individuals, and let them sell them
>as they wish.
>
>After a short startup period, you'll end up with the same situation
>you'd have today if the FCC auctioned off the spectrum, to a first
>approximation. The spectrum would be bought and sold on the basis
>of economic value rather than political influence, and you'd get the
>benefits of increased efficiency.
So everyone owns the spectrum over their property?
What's the oint of buying the spectrum for a large area if it doesn't include Bob's house right in the middle (because Bob doesn't want you broadcasting over his house). Yiou can't selectively broadcast over a large qarea, after all.
Samael