RE: Copyrights: An Author's Call to Arms

From: "Downing, Thomas" <Thomas.Downing@ipc.com>
To: Scott Robert Ladd <coyote@coyotegulch.com>,
	Linux Kernel Mailing List <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>
Subject: RE: Copyrights: An Author's Call to Arms
Date: Fri, 2 May 2003 11:19:57 -0400	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <170EBA504C3AD511A3FE00508BB89A9202085450@exnanycmbx4.ipc.com> (raw)

-----Original Message-----
From: Scott Robert Ladd [mailto:coyote@coyotegulch.com]
Sent: Friday, May 02, 2003 9:35 AM
To: Linux Kernel Mailing List
Subject: Copyrights: An Author's Call to Arms

[snip]

> A new model is required. And I believe the free software community 
> should lead the way -- but only if it works *WITH* authors, musicians, 
> coders, and writers to establish concepts for linking the creation of 
> material to compensation (i.e., survival). Society can not progress by 
> going backward (the corporate solution), nor by ignoring the needs of 
> creators (those who deny economic value for expressions of ideas.)

I agree completely with all you have said.  The problem is; how do
you secure compensation to the authors/producers while at the same
time still secure fair-use/first-point-of-sale issues to the consumer?
Not a trivial thing to do given digital information.

If a workable and 'good enough' solution is found, it might be just what
is needed to torpedo many of the abuses of DRM/DMCA.

By workable, I mean it is not so intrusive from the consumer's
perspective that he is discouraged to use the content in that form.

By good-enough, I am just putting a (what should be well known) stake
in the ground: there is no complete or absolute protection from
piracy.  Good enough means that such piracy as still remains is 1.)
of a small enough scale that it can be ignored (e.g. DVD piracy via
DeCSS today); or 2.) only of a nature that it can be successfully
addressed in another forum (e.g. DVD piracy as done by certain
China based companies.)

>In theory, "free software" is not bound by corporate cultures and 
>regressive thinking. *This* community, represented by Linux developers, 
>should be taking the reins and deciding which horse we ride and where it 
>takes us.
>
>I'm open to considered dialog.

I am _very_ concerned with the direction of the judicial and legislative
climate in the USA at this time.  I do have some small experience in
security issues and would be interested in such a project.

I could write _much_ more on this topic - but I will wait to see where
this conversation goes first before boring/annoying LKML folks more
than I already have.