[Upd-discuss] Re: [ebook-community] Re: Length of Copyright, and extensions (fwd)

[Michael Hart]

forwarded from another conversation


On Thu, 28 Jul 2005, Richard wrote:

> I was born in 1941.  Lived in the same house until we moved in 1953.
> The last time I drove by where the house was, there was a field of wheat.
> 
> Once the house was vacant, it was still taxed, so it was cheaper to
> bulldoze it under.

If you taxed "intellectual property" the same as other "property tax"
this would require the same kind of thought process.


> Right now, I doubt that most houses last as long as as copyright in
> the United States.

I have heard that current building methods in the US are based on a
50 year span of existence.


> I think a perpetual house is quite a rarity.

Think more about "The Landed Gentry."


> I have lived in this house with about 4 years exception since 1953.
> It was owned by my parents until Mother died in 1987.  I gather that
> this is exceptional.

I've heard that most people move 6 times in the US during a career,
and then there are moves for schooling, retirement, etc.


> People switch houses a lot in just one lifetime.

People have just become one more interchangeable part in corporations.

Kurt Vonnegut predicted this "interchangeable parts" attitidue towards
people in his book "Player Piano."

Worth reading, but pretty dark.


> Copyright is much more long term.

Interesting that copyright lasts longer as our homes last shorter.

In both cases it would appear that the working class gets disenfranchised!

> 
> Rick Brooks

Michael Hart