: Re: [Upd-discuss] a longer term strategy for promoting the public domain?

Jack Clinton whistlesucker@yahoo.com
Fri, 20 Aug 2004 14:51:51 -0700 (PDT)


--- Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org> wrote:

>     For the third year in a row, software companies
> are supplying schools with materials that promote
> their antipiracy position on copyright law.
> Can we develop our own materials, asking schools to
> refuse to hand out the propaganda that the software 
> companies give them?
 
I don't see why not. The ALA (the association of
librarians in the U.S.) is producing some comic-book
type materials for this school year, according to that
Wired article, which would give their position. Their
position seems pretty good but I don't know how good,
and who knows what they would do for the schools. 

I'm not sure it would be helpful to press the schools
not to circulate the stuff they are already getting
from the copyright industry. But if we could present
the copyright-owner pov alongside the public domain
pov perhaps that fact might convince the schools that
there is no need for them to circulate the copyright
industry pamphlet and just circulate ours.

But that takes us back to the ALA and what they might
do. Perhaps if we produced a clear defence of the
public domain pov and let the ALA concern itself with
a more objective presentation of all povs, that would
give the schools the best selection of material to
work with.

Assuming we could produce something concise and fun to
read, could we get it distributed widely to schools?
Are schools the best place to start? What about
universities? What about voters? 

Sorry to spend so much time going around that but I
just wanted to get those thoughts out. Yes I think
it's a good idea.




	
		
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