Slashdot Mirror
DRM and the Destruction of the Book
Hugh Pickens writes "EFF reports that Cory Doctorow spoke to a crowd of about a hundred librarians, educators, publishers, authors, and students at the National Reading Summit on How to Destroy the Book and said that 'anyone who claims that readers can’t and won’t and shouldn’t own their books are bent on the destruction of the book, the destruction of publishing, and the destruction of authorship itself.' Doctorow says that for centuries, copyright has acknowledged that sacred connection between readers and their books and that when you own a book 'it’s yours to give away, yours to keep, yours to license or to borrow, to inherit or to be included in your safe for your children' and that 'the most important part of the experience of a book is knowing that it can be owned.'"
God spoke. He wants His commandments back. It might get very wet for a long time.
My first Journal Entry ever, in 8 years! http://slashdot.org/journal/365947/aphelion-scifi-fantasy-horror-poetry-webzine
You conveniently forget that without these necessary DRM restrictions, nobody will be bothered to actually write articles and books in the first place. The same points you make were also claimed when DRM was applied to music - thankfully the technology has succeeded in this industry and put a stop to the years of silence and dull parties that previous generations had to endure.
As Ben Franklin said, those who give up their rights for convenience deserve neither, or something...
The exact saying is:
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Ben Franklin loved convenience. Hell, the lazy bastard used a kite to get his key up in the air rather than climbing up himself.
Ya, I know. Projects like Wikipedia or Creative Commons just wouldn't work if the contributers weren't getting paid.
Likewise, until the invention of intellectual property rights and copyright, no art was ever created. It's fortunate that we discovered these laws, or the world would have remained indefinitely with any music, art or literature.
And the quality is really the difference. Trash created pre-DRM like Mozart or Wagner just can't compare to the majesty modern DRM'ed works like Justin Timberlake or Britney spears.
These laws and systems are not only the sole protection of artistic creation, but they ensure a much higher standard to every art form.
When you're afraid to download music illegally in your own home, then the terrorists have won!
I like having my 'portable library' in the form of my reader. However until they make it bathtub proof, hardcopy will still have a place...
Example, please.
You are welcome on my lawn.
I love you, and I want to have your baby.