Re: [OT] Intelectual Property Law
On Wed, 01 Aug 2012 19:50:37 -0500
John Hasler <jhasler@newsguy.com> wrote:
> 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?
Well, we'll have to agree to disagree here, as we're just disagreeing
over irreducible first principles. I, and the law, think that it is
reasonable and fair that the creator of certain types of intellectual /
cultural artifacts should be entitled to some sort of restrictions on
who can utilize and implement those ideas; you disagree.
> 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.
Well, we'll just have to wait and see.
Celejar
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