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

[Michael Hart]

On Mon, 23 Aug 2004, Richard Stallman wrote:

>    > Can we develop our own materials, asking schools to refuse to hand out
>    > the propaganda that the software companies give them?
>
>    Doing something "anti-negative" is not nearly as productive as doing
>    something positive with the same energy.
>
> Maybe, but what is the way to present this point as positive?

I would write a letter to every government in the entire world,
asking if there is a home for shorter copyrights to counteract
the longer copyrights being imposed by WIPO et al on the rest
of the world. . .perhaps suggesting a home for the public domain.

Thus we provide an example of a positive alternative,
not just complain about the negative trend to permanent copyright.

*

All it would take is some small examples of school children moving
way up the scale on international tests by using free eBooks
to force every other nation to keep up. . .and others would have
to change their own trends.


> The software companies are surely condescendingly teaching kids to
> "obey the law".  This way they can sidestep entirely the question of
> what is *right*.  They just invite schools to assume that legal might
> makes right, and many schools are all too ready to do so.  It takes a
> certain small amount of courage to say, "This law is wrong and has no
> ethical validity."

I suggest a movement to point out that the "REAL PIRATES" are those
who stole the public domain in the first place. . . .

We need some posters of pirates done in a Disney style. . .or worse.


> In my speeches I use the spirit of good will towards your neighbor
> as the force to oppose the prohibition of sharing.  But I am not
> sure how to make that appeal to a school in the US.

US schools are basically "farm teams" for US corporations. . .they
are not going to oppose them.


> All in all, I'd say by all means look for "positive" ways to present
> this, but don't rule out negative ones out of hand.  Just saying to
> the schools "They are sending you a self-serving promotion on a
> controversial ethical question, and why should you take any side"
> might work better, simply because it only asks them NOT to do something.

Of course, there IS one ready made symbol for all this this:

Robin Hood

and HE is in the public domain!!!



Thanks!!!


Nice To Hear From You!


Michael


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