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First US Public Library With No Paper Books Opens In Texas
cold fjord writes "Bexar Country in Texas has opened a new $2.3 million library called BiblioTech. It doesn't have physical books, only computers and e-reader tablets. It is the first bookless public library system in the U.S. The library opened in an area without nearby bookstores, and is receiving considerable attention. It has drawn visitors from around the U.S. and overseas that are studying the concept for their own use. It appears that the library will have more than 100,000 visitors by year's end. Going without physical books has been cost effective from an architecture standpoint, since the building doesn't have to support the weight of books and bookshelves. A new, smaller library in a nearby town cost $1 million more than Bexar Country's new library. So far there doesn't appear to be a problem with returning checked out e-readers. A new state law in Texas defines the failure to return library books as theft."
Except reality doesn't work that way. Those wacky rights-holders still expect to be paid for content. Whoda thunk it?
REALITY?! What actual the fuck? Seriously? YOU are so detached from reality it's insane. Allow me to demonstrate:
Study some Information Theory. So, a mechanic creates a new configuration of information in the placement of parts and state of your vehicle. Now he has a 70 year beyond his death copyright on the work he's performed in the vehicle space, and the repair technique can't be duplicated by anyone else without paying royalties. First sale doctrine allows you to sell your car, but DMCA prevents you from removing the coin-slot you must feed before starting the vehicle. In reality there is no distinction between the information created by the mechanic or the symbolic information created by writers, media producers, etc. The mechanic may even have to machine parts -- Not like the writer has to invent paper.
I just know that the cognitive dissonance is strong in folks like you, but consider, just for a split second, that authors should get paid once to do the work of writing a book... Just like a mechanic gets paid for the work they do once. Neither author or mechanic needs any monopoly rights after the work is created because they have an unlimited monopoly over the work they do before they do it. That's how they can leverage payment agreements for the work they'll do. Afterwards the benefit from the work is unbounded, and enriches drivers and readers lives. Also, if they want to get paid more, they'll have to create more works! Thus giving the workers incentive to do work. Bonus, since there would be no artificial scarcity, there would be no piracy.
Or, if you suck at economics 101 (infinite supply = zero price regardless of cost to create), and are more scientifically minded: Prove that Copyrights are beneficial for society. Don't forget to test the null hypothesis: Copyrights are not required to benefit society (which must be disproven more thoroughly than the original hypothesis is proven, otherwise it's accepted by default). No fair ignoring Automotive and Fashion industries which have no copyrights or design patents and yet sell primarily on design -- And are very profitable, "Whoda thunk it?"
In short: Artificial Scarcity is economically untenable, and you have no evidence to support your beliefs about information licensing.