quote:
Originally posted by Captain Peg-leg V, Greenbeard:
Funny that copying a song from the radio to a tape or cd is ok, but to mp3 or ogg format is a felony.
Actually, the first is illegal as well. Nobody bothers about that though.
My view is that copyrights should be honored, so filesharing is bad. However, copyright periods should be very limited, like 15-30 years (perhaps some extention if the author is alive - it should be heritable to protect children and partner from income loss, but for a limited time).
Keeping something in copyright for 80 years is just plain *bad*.
Furthermore, copyright should be just that, COPYright. Lending, public performance and such is NOT copyright and should therefore not be controlled by it (this also solves the Linux DVD issues).
quote:
* A fixed, reasonable initial copyright period of perhaps 40 years. If not renewed, the material falls into the public domain.
* A ten year copyright extension available at minimal cost to the copyright holder, whether individual or corporate.
* A second 10 year extension at double that cost.
* A third 10 year extension at double that cost. Also fourth, fifth, and so on extensions available, each at double the cost of the last one.
* All copyright would cease 100 years after initial publication, except in cases where the artist remains alive. In such cases, copyright can be renewed every 10 years for an additional 10 year period at twice the cost of the last renewal as long as the artist lives.
*Much* to long. More like 20 years initially, with 5 year extentions to a max of 40 years.
I promise you, if somebody lives to get 100 years (FAR beyond todays copyright limit) he will NOT care about what he wrote a century ago.
[ November 29, 2002: Message edited by: DC ]
