"the Congress shall have power . . . to promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries."
That's what the US Constitution says. The why is to promote the progress of science and useful arts, the how is by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries.
Of course, that would prevent us from getting music and Playstation roms from 2000 for free, which is all this is really about, right?
No, it's about me wasting time talking to a complete asshole.
you could start pre-production on a movie adaptation as soon as the book was in print, knowing that it wouldn't hit theatres until the book was out of copyright
Why shouldn't they be entitled to reap the rewards?
Because that is not the purpose of copyright. Copyright law is based on the premise that works should revert to the public domain as soon as possible while still providing an incentive for authors. You may argue that 5 years is not enough incentive, but you have to realize that that is all it is, an incentive, not a guaranteed income, not a reward for time spent or money invested.
I would suggest that an artist who spends 10 or 20 years on a single work a) has independent means and b) is engaged in a labor of love and needs no further incentive.
What are the options for developing Java apps on Zaurus? I found a link here
but it's a little out of date and I was also wondering if there are any good non-Sun alternatives.
I agree that this does seem like the standard "to steal from a thief is no crime" fallacy"
You can call it a fallacy, and from a legal pov you are right, but I think the vast majority would consider it a lesser crime than stealing from a non-thief.
If MS wants to take a 14 year old gcc and claim it as their own, I won't object. I guess it is conceivable that a company could embrace and extend an old but still viable technology, but I can't offhand think of a realistic scenario. 14 years is a long time in this business, that's why I would like to see copyright rolled back not to 14 but to 5 years.
They may or may not be honest and true to their bands, but as members of the RIAA they are responsible for price-fixing, stifling technology, and corrupting government, among other things.
The media's power is diminishing. The people saw through them this time.
Actually the exact opposite is true. The media repeated anything that was said by either party, as long as it could be broken up into 20 second sound bites, and the public devoured it. It was by far the most shallow and depraved coverage ever. As a result W is still in office instead of in jail where he belongs.
John asserts that software market leaders have spent the past thirty years in particular amassing vast portfolios of software patents, copyrights, trademarks and licensing deals. That a company should focus on IP is not a problem for him - in fact he challenges the software community who reject the term IP to provide a better way of describing in cogent terms the very substance of creative thinking that is embodied in free software - and that we as a community particularly treasure.
I hear what you're saying, and you are correct that they do use "piracy" as an excuse to promote their agenda, but my point is that they would be doing exactly the same thing with or without piracy, namely bribing politicians to pass legislation to give them more power and control over the distribution process.
If you think that the draconian measures like the Induce act are a reaction to "piracy" then you are being hopelessly naive. You only need to look at history, Betamax decision etc., to see that the copyright megacorps have always been extremely proactive in restricting consumer rights.
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The French don't have the Brits, we do. Get your facts straight.
That's what the US Constitution says. The why is to promote the progress of science and useful arts, the how is by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries.
Of course, that would prevent us from getting music and Playstation roms from 2000 for free, which is all this is really about, right?
No, it's about me wasting time talking to a complete asshole.
Why is that a problem?
Because that is not the purpose of copyright. Copyright law is based on the premise that works should revert to the public domain as soon as possible while still providing an incentive for authors. You may argue that 5 years is not enough incentive, but you have to realize that that is all it is, an incentive, not a guaranteed income, not a reward for time spent or money invested.
I would suggest that an artist who spends 10 or 20 years on a single work a) has independent means and b) is engaged in a labor of love and needs no further incentive.
Wow, your rite. I nevr new how stuped i was befor you tol me. Thanks you for screwing my hed on strate for me!
There is some useful discussion of this topic at EFF and Schneier.
For those who don't know, a heavy floating point is just like an IEEE floating-point but with the sign bit replaced by a deuterium atom.
That's pretty much all they do now. And the public is increasingly able to do their own filtering.
What are the options for developing Java apps on Zaurus? I found a link here but it's a little out of date and I was also wondering if there are any good non-Sun alternatives.
You can call it a fallacy, and from a legal pov you are right, but I think the vast majority would consider it a lesser crime than stealing from a non-thief.
Max Henrion What's Wrong with Spreadsheets and Raymond R. Panko What We Know About Spreadsheet Errors.
If MS wants to take a 14 year old gcc and claim it as their own, I won't object. I guess it is conceivable that a company could embrace and extend an old but still viable technology, but I can't offhand think of a realistic scenario. 14 years is a long time in this business, that's why I would like to see copyright rolled back not to 14 but to 5 years.
The government should just get out of the information business. The free market is the best way to ensure that we get the most unbiased information.
Bruce Schneier discusses identity theft and more in his latest news letter.
Support EFF and Downhill Battle. They are fighting for our rights every day.
Just like RIAA has overrun P2P?
They may or may not be honest and true to their bands, but as members of the RIAA they are responsible for price-fixing, stifling technology, and corrupting government, among other things.
First post to mention The Diamond Age : Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer (Bantam Spectra Book) by NEAL STEPHENSON. All about nano-tech and fabricators and stuff.
Actually the exact opposite is true. The media repeated anything that was said by either party, as long as it could be broken up into 20 second sound bites, and the public devoured it. It was by far the most shallow and depraved coverage ever. As a result W is still in office instead of in jail where he belongs.
What else?
If you are new to this topic, check out Downhill Battle or EFF or my website. By the way, the Xmas season is almost upon us. Time to remind people that CDs make crappy presents.
Robin Hood was the hero. When did our society stop caring about the poor and the oppressed and become so reverent of wealth and power?
I hear what you're saying, and you are correct that they do use "piracy" as an excuse to promote their agenda, but my point is that they would be doing exactly the same thing with or without piracy, namely bribing politicians to pass legislation to give them more power and control over the distribution process.
If you think that the draconian measures like the Induce act are a reaction to "piracy" then you are being hopelessly naive. You only need to look at history, Betamax decision etc., to see that the copyright megacorps have always been extremely proactive in restricting consumer rights.