Editorial

Having a high old time debating a feller named "Tribeless" who seems to hail from New Zealand. He appeared on Asimov's forum talking about Cory Doctorow's new book (Eastern Standard Tribes) and berating him for publishing it under the "Creative Commons" copyright, and allowing it, as well as his previous novel Down And Out In The Magic Kingdom to be available for free download from his website.

In response to Cory's request for comments on this concept, Tribeless said:
"Hmmmm. I'm dubious Cory; about the free download aspect. Isn't that just encouraging the file sharers, who are in my opinion looters?"

And from there, the comments flew all over the place. Tribeless, and our old compadre NewB who has been published here, are strongly opinionated that any and all file-sharers and Peer-2-Peer networkers are thieving scum who should not be allowed access to computers or the Internet, and should be fined, and/or locked away.

Cory's opinion is that Intellectual Property and copyrights should only go so far, and like King Canute, those standing on the shore of the Information Ocean telling the waves of file-sharing to stop, are and will be just as about as effective. He reminds us that Vaudevilleans and sheet music publishers tried to stop the theft of what THEY felt was THEIR intellectual property, and those that used the new technologies (radio; player pianos) became highly successful, and those that didn't fell by the wayside.

Is Intellectual Property an absolute? Is the concept of "fair use" immoral? Are file-sharers "looters on the Information Highway"? Frankly, the copyright and patent mess the US and other countries find themselves in show that 18th century laws cannot cope with 21st century technology. And, I suppose, if outfits like the RIAA and MPAA wish to fine and/or lock up their customers, then we'd better start building bigger prisons.

Am I against copyrights and the protection of IP? No, not at all, but I am very uncomfortable with the draconic measures that various groups are trying to bring into play as they protect their "property". Tribeless has also railed against the "public domain", and frankly, that scares me. Karl Schroeder, in his book Permanence talks about the "Rights Economy", as does Cory in EST. "If This Goes On" strikes here!

--Jerry

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Looters on the Information Highway