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Fair IP Laws?

Posted by Cliff on from the injecting-sanity-into-copyrights-and-patents dept.

epsalon asks: "Most of us are against the current status of Copyright and Patent law, and are outraged from stuff like the DMCA, SSSCA, et al. We know that this system is wrong, and must be changed. However, nullifying all IP laws is IMHO a bit too strong, because there will be no incentive to create anything for mass market sale except out of goodwill, or for leveraging other revenue (aka Linux). Assuming you could rewrite the entire world IP law, and even create a new social system, my question is: What laws can be written that will be fair both to content creators and to users, while cutting the middleman?" Here's your chance to do something other than complain about the current state things. How would you revise or restructure IP and copyright law to make both sides of the fence happy?

4 of 643 comments (clear)

  1. First Thing We Do by pnatural · · Score: 3, Funny

    "First thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers."

    --Shakespeare, King Henry VI, Part II, IV, ii

    Yes, yes, I know the quote is out of context, but it's still damn insightful.

    1. Re:First Thing We Do by ari{Dal} · · Score: 4, Funny

      Having studied law in a previous incarnation, I think we should look at the ramifications of such actions before beginning the slaughter.

      1st, we'd decimate the government. As we all know. most of em have at least some kind of legal training.

      2nd, we'd lose the entire justice system. Everyone would be gone except for the cops. And who'd keep them in line?

      3rd, we'd certainly end up living in a rampant, copyright infringing society where p2p ruled all.

      Having said all this, I say we start at the student level and work our way up. That way, we get some practice in on the lower echelons before moving up to the big time. Now where'd I store my shotgun shells...?

      --
      Moral indignation is jealousy with a halo - H. G. Wells
    2. Re:First Thing We Do by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Having studied law in a previous incarnation

      So, this would be IWALIAPL.

      (I was a lawyer in a previous life)

  2. Re:Charge for it in geometrically increasing sums by ClarkEvans · · Score: 3, Funny

    This is a fantastic idea. I'm in D.C., I'll try to shop it around. Legislators have never met a tax bill they didn't like.