Celejar writes:
...so just because the marginal cost of duplication is zero, why is is
unreasonable for it to charge per copy?
It is entirely reasonable for them to charge whatever they see fit for
copies they make, but why should your "producers" be able to charge for
copies other people make from copies those people own when the producers
incur no costs and none of their property is involved? If the producers
don't want me to make copies of the copies they sell me they can refrain
from selling to me or condition the sale on contractual terms that limit
what copying I can do. Why should I be forbidden by statute to create
copies of objects that I own?
Doesn't really matter in the long run, though. Now that the marginal
cost of copying is zero copyright is going to die. It was only really
practical when large-scale copying was an industrial enterprise such
that enforcement was feasible.