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FTC and JD Holding Hearings on IP
hondo77 writes "The U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department are holding hearings on intellectual property laws over the next few weeks (the first one was Feb 6). They're looking at the balance between IP rights and the free market."
- abolish all business process patents
- repeal the DMCA
- make using copy protection a Federal felony
- publish the DeCSS code on a scrolling marquee in Times Square
- ban the RIAA and MPAA
- have Jack Valenti made U.S. Ambassador to Somalia
- have Sonny Bono, uh, never mind
That ought to be a good start to a "balance."
One CPU cycle wasted on digital restrictions management is ONE TOO MANY.
I just discovered gravity. Since no patent or prior art exists, I'm going to patent it and license it to people who pay me enough. The only currency I accept is gnus. Seriously, this is a prime example to see exactly when democracy can fail. That's right, it's not perfect! If the majority believe one thing and you don't you are wrong!
Ah, well, it has happened in history before and it will probably happen again. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, right? Just remember, you can't enjoy fame if you are dead.
Before you go to a flamewar about the newest draconian laws the US has passed, fix democracy. How do you fix it, by educating people!
Look, it's not the Intelluctual Property I have a problem with. Come up with a new idea? Great! If it's something worthy of it, than that person by all means deserves a Patent for the concept.
What I have a problem with, is people being awarded common-sense patents. OOoo! I had this great idea, that if instead of making a user click "Check-Out", then go through all the horrible tedious screens to do so, I'll make a one-click idea!!
Even better are the people who claim years after the fact that something becomes popular that they had the idea in the first place. Nothing explemifies this better than British Telecoms claims over the Hyperlink. If you had such a great idea in the first place, maybe you should have implemented it somehow. Or at the very least, at least keep posted on what's happening in the Real World with it. You mean to tell me that you had this patent since 198x/199x (not positive of the right date and too lazy to look it up) and you are just noticing now that it is being used massively on the Internet? Cut me an f-ing break.
Again, you come up with a great idea/new invention, than hey--I think you should be rewarded; but an onus falls upon those people as well to protect themselves if it's really that innovative.
Seriously, the patent office needs massive reforms. They need to start taking a serious look at what they are awarding patents for and really how innovative of an idea this is. How about going out on a limb and hiring some knowledgeable tech people that can check technology patents over before we award them?
As far as the MPAA and RIAA go, I hate them with a passion. Yeah, that's flamebait right there. I think they have far too much lobbying power (how else could we have gotten the DMCA out there). I do however think it is important for Artists to have some of protection (ie. a Union, which they have). The RIAA and MPAA are just the representation of more Big Business Interests who really care nothing about what happens to their artits. Intelluctual Property? Bah, as long as they can milk more money out of us, they're happy.
Honestly as optimistic as I'd like to be, I just can't see anyting really positive happening from this. Bush's Cabinet is just too far in the pocket of big business to really care about Fair-Use or any of those worrysome consumer ideas.
But Bush has an 85%+ approval rating. Boy do I hate the knowledge and ideals of the majority of voters in the US. (I talked to someone yesterday who was angry that he missed the last election. 2001? Huh? No, that one with Gore and Bush--that about sums it up for me.)
Congressman: Is that a letter about the IP and copyright hearings?
Staffer: Yes it is,. We've received quite a few today.
Congressman: Wait a minute, is that some white stuff on the envelope.
Staffer: No, I don't see anything. Are you sure?
Congressman: Yes I think it is, quick throw it out.
Staffer: Uh, are you sure? We've gotten quite a few letters about the hearings
Congressman: Yes, quick throw out all the mail. We can't take any chances.
A few days later...
AP Wire: pparently slashdot.org is reporting that it's readers have sent over one million letters to their congressman, but none ever received a reply.