[Upd-discuss] More On Copyright Settlement

[Dean Anderson]

I think we should really document the hell out of this. I think it shows 
so many things. 

1) big companies exploit copyright laws to the detriment of the very
people who need protection: the independent authors who do the original
creative work.  The mundane work of creating a database of other people's
work is worth millions. The original creative work is worth at most $1500
per article.   Arguing to the choir, I know.

Consider this: Many here are technical people, take this as an analogy:  
If I create a CD with a bunch of GNU software on it, and sell the CD, I
can charge whatever I want and prevent anyone else from doing so.  At most
I have to pay GNU $1500 per "article". And I now get make millions from my
"work" of creating the compendium.  Is this a false analogy? I think it is
true in all the points of any consequence.  

2) shows why database copyright is a bad idea. (ok, this is redundant).  
But lets not forget (or rather, let anyone else forget) that it violates
the social bargain of copyright by allowing things to be effectively taken
out of the public domain.

3) maybe we can get more of the press on our side, and/or to publish
more (and sympathetic) articles on the subject.

4) ....

		--Dean

On Tue, 5 Apr 2005, Michael Hart wrote:

> 
> MEDIA COMPANIES SETTLE WITH FREELANCERS
> 
> [If you scratch the surface on this one you will find that ONLY the
> big-time commercial writers are benefitting from this settlement,
> each article could net them $1500 in royalties. . .BUT. . .Average
> Joe or Josephine who is not legally well connected enough to have
> registered a separate copyright for each article will ONLY GET $60,
> not really enough to pay for the effort of the lawsuits.  Just one
> more case where copyright is being used for the rich to get richer
> and to make the poor poorer.]
> 

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