Profligate and illegal copying
- From: Tony Kline <tonykline@[redacted]>
- Subject: Profligate and illegal copying
- Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2001 07:27:51 -0800 (PST)
Re: Rick Miller's comments.
Sure lots of us understand what is going on in terms of profligate and
illegal copying of copyright material. It may be that this becomes a
de facto situation and the law becomes unenforceable and is changed.
Meanwhile unfortunately some of us are law-abiding souls who don't
believe an author has NO rights, only that the rights should be
curtailed in the interests of the public, and the long term interests
of literature etc.
I decided to give my work away partly because I believe in giving
something back, but also because I agree that it may not be possible
to prevent mass copying. The boot could soon be on the other foot.
Instead of seeking to curtail authors' rights we might be seeking to
enforce some minimum rights!! Why shouldn't both be possible? I would
appeal to others to obey the rule of law and seek to change it, not to
flout it. I am withholding a number of what I think are excellent
translations precisely because they may break copyright and I either
haven't the resources to locate copyright holders or they would refuse
permission for free circulation. Am I wrong? Should I flout the law?
Regards
Tony Kline tonykline@[redacted]
www.tkline.freeserve.co.uk