[LINK] What's Wrong with Copy Protection

[Bruce Arnold]

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>A cogent article by the EFF's John Gilmore on the tyranny of scarcity
>and its impact on our society wrestling with media copyright and
>duplication technology.
>
>http://www.toad.com/gnu/whatswrong.html
>
Gadfly John Gilmore asks "Being devil's advocate for a moment, why should
self-interested companies be permitted to shift the balance of fundamental
liberties, risking free expression, free markets, scientific progress,
consumer rights, societal stability, and the end of physical and
informational want? Because somebody might be able to steal a song? That
seems a rather flimsy excuse"

The obvious, equally polemical response, is 'why should self-interested
consumers be permitted to shift the balance of fundamental liberties,
risking free expression, free markets, scientific progress, consumer
rights, societal stability, and the end of physical and informational want?
Because somebody might want them to pay for a song? That seems a rather
flimsy excuse'. Because the information good they're consuming is
intangible and therefore must be free?  It MUST be free, after all, because
people keep telling you so ... and because all artists are billionaires,
auDA kidnaps small children (none of mine are missing but I gather from
LINK  they're in  grave danger) and other digital myths

Gilmore would be more persuasive if he discussed both responsibilities and
rights.

If he discussed the tyranny of abundance and the tyranny of scarcity.

If his description of the content industries was more nuanced, less
polemical, dare I say more informed.

If he acknowledged that no-one forces you to buy that Madonna CD or rent
the video.

If he recognized that the content industries employ millions of people (not
all of whom can have jobs as new economy executives, buskers, tshirt
sellers or doing celebrity 'copyright is dead' gigs) and will
understandably fight on all fronts - including reliance on DRM technology
and contract law - to protect their interests

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