[p2p-research] Fwd: [fcforum] Fw: iPad DRM is a dangerous step backward. Sign the petition!

[Ryan Lanham]

On 2/5/10, M. Fioretti <mfioretti at nexaima.net> wrote:
>
> On Thu, Feb 04, 2010 15:35:12 PM -0600, Kevin Carson (
> free.market.anticapitalist at gmail.com) wrote:
>
> The current 75+ duration of copyright, as well the _amount_ of things
> it allows the creators to control, is an abomination, no question
> about that.


I agree.


But (if you accept copyright, of course, but please let's
> give it for granted for this post only, to explain the following
> point) the fact that it automatically exists is a blessing, it would
> be an abomination to do the contrary.


I agree.


"Copyright is intrinsically bad" is another question, but as long as
> it exists it's much, much better to have automatic acknowledgment.
>
> > The result is that we're awash in a sea of "orphan" content that
> > nobody even knows who claims copyright on it, and can't use for fear
> > they'll be trolled the next day with a DMCA notice.


Not only are these bad, but "submarine patents" as used by people like
Jerome Lemuelson (whose foundation funds significant operations of the
Smithsonian Institution) are worse and of the same ilk.


No, this is ONLY the result of the excessive length of copyright. The
> truth is that if copyright had never been no more than 10 or even 20
> years, 90% at least of that sea of orphan content would be a sea of
> public domain stuff that everybody could use as they please, without
> asking any permission.


Agreed.  This is legislative.  If the Soviet Union would have simply
published everything their orchestras ever recorded for free, it would have
transformed the classical music industry.  Instead, they were aggressive in
holding back content to copyright.  Again, abundance...

Almost all the actual damage caused by current copyright legislation
is simply a direct or indirect consequence of the current
_duration_. Cut that down and, while the philosofical difference
between advocates and attackers of copyright will still remain, there
will be way less practical damages to argue about.

Totally agreed.  Because abundance will grow and people will be treated
fairly.  But frankly, if we hold at 75 years, in a matter of a century or
less, it will be largely irrelevant.  There will be so much public domain
material, the rest will be deeply value compromised. Things are simply
moving to free.  There is nothing anyone can do to stop it...and I think
illegal actions have little or nothing to do with it.
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