[LINK] Theft, copyright, larceny... (was: In other news....)

[Kim Holburn]

On 2007/Jun/26, at 1:55 AM, Karl Auer wrote:
> On Tue, 2007-06-26 at 09:10 +1000, Rick Welykochy wrote:
>> Let's not lose sight of the original reason that Patent and  
>> Copyright laws
>> were enacted: to protect the originator of the work for a period  
>> of time
>> so they could financially benefit from their work and be  
>> encouraged to
>> produce more of same. And to be financially able to do same.
>
> You've forgotten the other half: To ensure that society benefited from
> the work by it eventually belonging to everyone, generally some small
> time after the death of the author (NOT the copyright holder).

Actually the original copyrights were for 14 years, not anywhere near  
the death of the author.

>> Walt Dizzy-knee International Incorporated acquiring the rights to
>> the Wigglies Grand Dance Tune and then enforcing their "ownership" of
>> the tune through Copyright Law certainly is *not in the original  
>> spirit
>> of the law*. The law was meant to protect Joe Bloggs who originally
>> wrote the tune in the first place. The interpretation of that law  
>> has been
>> changed and preened to allow transfers of these rights and to support
>> the interests of huge media empires. Hardly the original intent of  
>> the law.
>
> Hum. Yes and no. Joe Bloggs benefits by getting money from Disney.
> Disney then distributes the tune all over the world, digitally or  
> in the
> form of licensed performances. If they don't, they get no return on
> their investment in the tune. So the tune reaches many, many more  
> people
> (arguably) than Joe Bloggs ever would have. And at the end of the
> copyright period, the world owns the tune. That's the theory.

Actually Disney used ideas and stories from the A. A. Milne estate,  
made millions and didn't pay the A. A. Milne estate which took them  
to court.  Disney prefers to use ideas from the public domain in it's  
products, it's cheaper.  Of course in our modern world the publilc  
domain is getting pushed further and further back in time and is  
getting less relevant mainly due to the lobbying of companies like  
Disney.

> In practice, copyright periods are extending further and further.  
> Unlike
> human creators, corporations live forever, so they have a strong
> interest in their copyrights living forever. That's where it has all
> gone wrong. Well, one of the several places it has all gone wrong.

--
Kim Holburn
IT Network & Security Consultant
Ph: +39 06 855 4294  M: +39 3494957443
mailto:kim at holburn.net  aim://kimholburn
skype://kholburn - PGP Public Key on request

Democracy imposed from without is the severest form of tyranny.
                           -- Lloyd Biggle, Jr. Analog, Apr 1961