[A2k] An extraordinary paper even by Cory Doctorow's standards

[Philippe Aigrain]

Why I copyfight by Cory Doctorow
http://www.locusmag.com/Features/2008/11/cory-doctorow-why-i-copyfight.html
--
Philippe Aigrain

An extract :
[...]
Indeed, copyists are busily building an elaborate ethos of what can and can=
't
be shared, and with whom, and under what circumstances. They join private
sharing circles, argue norms among themselves, and in word and deed create =
a
plethora of "para-copyrights" that reflect a cultural understanding of what
they're meant to be doing.

The tragedy is that these para-copyrights have almost nothing in common wit=
h
actual copyright law. No matter how hard you adhere to them, you're probabl=
y
breaking the law =E2=80=94 so if you're in making anime music videos (video=
s for pop
music made by cleverly splicing together clips of anime movies =E2=80=94 go=
ogle
for "amv" to see examples), you can abide by all the rules of your group
about not showing them to outsiders and only using certain sources for musi=
c
and video, but you're still committing millions of dollars' worth of
infringement every time you sit down to your keyboard.

It's not surprising that para-copyright and copyright don't have much to sa=
y
to one another. After all, copyright regulates what giant companies do with
each other. Para-copyright regulates what individuals do with each other in=
 a
cultural settings. Why be surprised that these rulesets are so disjointed?

It's entirely possible that there's a detente to be reached between the
copyists and the copyright holders: a set of rules that only try to
encompass "culture" and not "industry." But the only way to bring copyists =
to
the table is to stop insisting that all unauthorized copying is theft and a
crime and wrong. People who know that copying is simple, good, and benefici=
al
hear that and assume that you're either talking nonsense or that you're
talking about someone else.
[...]