Slashdot Mirror
Sharing Still Doesn't Hurt
Robotech_Master writes "Eric Flint has posted two new Prime Palaver rants. The first one is a continuation of the one that was mentioned here on Slashdot the other day, about the Free Library, the e-book, encryption, and you:'One thing you have to understand about this whole controversy is how much of it is sheer hot air. Many authors and most publishers, when they address this issue, give people the impression they're at risk of losing their shirt through electronic "piracy." That's pure hogwash[...]' The second is a response to the idea of boycotting Harlan Ellison for his anti-piracy stance (and I imagine some Slashdot faces will be red over some of what he has to say!)." We linked to Ellison's rant last year.
What is amusing is seeing the response of thieves to being called thieves (and thieves are parasites). Guess what - outside of a self-congratulatory cadre of thieves, the actual creators of some works do not appreciate having their work stolen. The mere ability to copy does not confer ownership, any more than the ability to turn the keys in a car permits you to drive away with it when you don't own it. Ellison's point is simple and direct - the creator of a work OWNS that work and those who would copy it "freely" are thieves. That this sounds shocking is a sad testament to the communist mindset engendered by Stallman and co.