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Subject:Re: More ethics... From:Peter <pnewman1 -at- home -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Sun, 19 Aug 2001 11:41:35 -0400
Bruce Byfield wrote:
>
>
> > Suppose the Bruce Byfield Company has a copyright. That is a company. At
> > what size would you deny copyright protection. Doesn't a company have a
> > right to make a profit if it purchases a copyright from an individual?
>
> Fortunately, I don't have to make that decision. For that matter, I
> don't necessarily think that it should be made. However, some people do
> think that a restriction on profit or legislation to prevent the
> creation of artificial shortages based on the copyright might be desirable.
Bruce, I am basically a very simple person. If your efforts produce some
valuable work, I do not have the moral right to use it without your
permission. I should not be able to pass it off as my work, for any
reason. That constitutes stealing and it should not matter if I am just
the poor schmuck that I am, or Microsoft. Similarly, It should not
matter if I steal
it from you or Microsoft. While the degree of what I did will be
factored in in determining my punishment, the essential snapshot of my
misappropriation remains. I think we all agree that the DCMA sucks. but,
that is besides the point. All of us have a common interest in finding
some rational answer.
I too really don't know where the answer should lie. I still wistfully
recall the days when full and free IT information sharing was the norm,
not the exception. I remember my shock and horror when someone actually
wanted to charge for advise on using a program. (DBase I)
I am not certain whether it is an overreaction to my desire to recapture
that which cannot be recaptured, (my youthful idealism,) or a strong
belief in capitalism, or both, that causes me to take such a strong
stand the other way.
--
Peter
Mailto:peternew -at- optonline -dot- net
Adapting old programs to fit new machines
usually means adapting new machines to
behave like old ones.
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