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Speeding and copyright
--- I would hazard a guess that the majority of the population has broken the speed limit at some point in their lives---

And because of this, speed limits are often raised. Everything was 55mph back in the oil crisis days of the 1970's. Now many roads are 70 or 75 mph limits. Enough people wanted to go faster so the laws were changed. Perhaps the same will happen here.

---I wonder if you are confusing patents with copyrights? I agree that patents have gotten out of control but I don't think that the copyrights on music and video have changed that much, have they?---

No, he's not confusing them. There are issues with patents, but these are mostly to do with what you can patent, not the length of the term of the patent. With copyrights, our founding fathers very wisely stipulated that they'd last a limited time. The idea there was to both stimulate you to create something new soon, and to build a rich cultural heritage, the public domain. Now we've extended and extended copyright term so essentially if you copyright something now, you've got an eternal copyright on it. Nothing has gone into the public domain since the 1920's. Nothing.

And that's particularly problematic because there's a great wealth of material that you and I can't use, but that has been orphaned. No one knows who owns the copyright, all we know is that we can't legally use it.

The US Copyright Office is considering new ways to change the laws regarding orphaned copyrights. I urge all to read their statement, and respond directly to them with comments:

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-1434.htm
Posted by: tic swayback   Posted on: 01/26/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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yada yada yada  htotten | 01/26/05
The people will do what the people want  mojoman_x@... | 01/26/05
So the solution is to give up?  NonZealot | 01/26/05
Locks only keep honest people honest.  bobb88 | 01/26/05
Eh, not impressed by that statement  NonZealot | 01/26/05
Locks do only keep honest people honest  voska | 01/26/05
Why I pirate DVDs...  Jomo_z | 01/27/05
MPAA/RIAA are driving p2p sharing  tic swayback | 01/27/05
There are lots of solutions  tic swayback | 01/26/05
The "BEST" way to lose an enemy  Squawkbox | 01/26/05
Problem is  voska | 01/26/05
Thanks for replying  NonZealot | 01/26/05
One point to pick  Linux User 147560 | 01/26/05
But as you say a speed trap catches people  voska | 01/26/05
Speeding and copyright  tic swayback | 01/26/05
voska and tic: thanks for copyright info (NT)  NonZealot | 01/26/05
Copyright was originally 14 years.  Update victim | 01/27/05
I think it's time for YOU to give up  Jeff Spicoli | 01/26/05
Thank You!!!!!!!!!!  M_c | 01/26/05
Yeah I know ignorance of the law is no excuse  Squawkbox | 01/26/05
The law is the law is the law.........or not  Dave F_z | 01/26/05
Paying for movies that you can burn  Junebug_z | 01/28/05
Perhaps not, but....  WhoDaMan | 01/27/05
Hilarious!  Jeff Spicoli | 01/26/05
RE: "Hilarious" & "I think it's time for YOU to give up"  Scrat | 01/28/05
Oh well, Linux will wipe out the MPAA  FilledOut | 01/26/05
MPAA winners in the end  Roger Ramjet | 01/27/05
Future sales methods  Update victim | 01/27/05
Fat Parasitic Entities  StevieA | 01/28/05
My DVD buying and Movie going has been very reduce since the suing started  GreatInca | 01/27/05
Alleluia man!!!!!  StevieA | 01/28/05
But Does it "phone Home"?.  Update victim | 01/27/05

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