RE: [xml-dev] Principles for an Ethical and Sustainable Internet -XML

[Liam R E Quin <liam@w3.org>]

On Tue, 2012-08-28 at 18:50 -0500, Len Bullard wrote:
> From: Liam R E Quin [mailto:liam@w3.org] 
>  
> On Tue, 2012-08-28 at 10:13 -0500, Len Bullard wrote:
> > Bogus.
> > 
> > People steal because there are no consequences.
> 
> >Stealing is the act of taking something away from someone else.
> 
> >If I copy music I do not take away the original: it is not the music
> >that is stolen but the distributor's opportunity to charge me for it.
> >But in fact if it's made possible there's no reason to suppose I won't
> >pay for it in some other way.
> 
> With all due respect, Liam, that argument is as legally unsound now as it
> was when first made.

Sure, copyright exists; it's the decision of the copyright owner whether
to redistribute. However, the person violating copyright is not stealing
the music but rather something intangible.

> However, yes, this is about payment for distribution or right of copy.
> Stealing is stealing when the copier profits by having made and distributed
> illegal copies.

Yes.


> The historical norm is when a new means of distribution comes along, means
> both legal and technical are devised to ensure proper protection of legal
> rights and collections.

Yes. E.g. the tax on blank CDs here in Canada means people have a right
to share music on CDs.

[...]
> >Another question for the Web and XML crowd - what happens when facebook,
> >google plus, blog sites, are the only way to enter content unless you
> >work at a large company with a Web Broadcast Licence? Don't laugh - it
> >happened to radio, it happened to television, and it'll happen to the
> >Web.
> 
> I think that is up to us.  No one can stop you from setting up a server but
> if licensing does prevent that, we have a new problem to solve.
I think it will happen, yes.


>   Yet the
> what-ifs are not the issue and should not stop us from working toward
> equitable solutions today because otherwise we will be facing less equitable
> and more draconian measures.

Also true.

Liam

-- 
Liam Quin - XML Activity Lead, W3C, http://www.w3.org/People/Quin/
Pictures from old books: http://fromoldbooks.org/
Ankh: irc.sorcery.net irc.gnome.org freenode/#xml
Co-conspirator, 5th edition of 'Beginning XML", Wrox, July 2012