Comments on: New Copyright Czar; an F for the Drug Czar http://themoderatevoice.com/23453/new-copyright-czar-an-f-for-the-drug-czar/ An Internet hub with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, indies, centrists, moderates, and right Mon, 28 May 2012 23:08:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: DLS http://themoderatevoice.com/23453/new-copyright-czar-an-f-for-the-drug-czar/comment-page-1/#comment-158743 DLS Tue, 14 Oct 2008 17:16:11 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/society/drugs/marijuana/23453/new-copyright-czar-an-f-for-the-drug-czar/#comment-158743 "reducing illegal drug use by 25 percent in five years"<br><br>This sounds like a variant of a Gore-Obama alternative-energy-use or carbon-reduction goal. Unrealistic, to say the least. “reducing illegal drug use by 25 percent in five years”

This sounds like a variant of a Gore-Obama alternative-energy-use or carbon-reduction goal. Unrealistic, to say the least.

]]> By: Don Quijote http://themoderatevoice.com/23453/new-copyright-czar-an-f-for-the-drug-czar/comment-page-1/#comment-158696 Don Quijote Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:36:27 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/society/drugs/marijuana/23453/new-copyright-czar-an-f-for-the-drug-czar/#comment-158696 Cool, in a few more years we will have the IPPA (Intellectual Property Protection Agency) knocking down doors in the middle of the night, shooting defenseless citizens in their houses and planting Sinatra MP3s on their computers.<br><br>Looking forward to it.<br><br>When every thing is a crime, we will all be criminals! Cool, in a few more years we will have the IPPA (Intellectual Property Protection Agency) knocking down doors in the middle of the night, shooting defenseless citizens in their houses and planting Sinatra MP3s on their computers.

Looking forward to it.

When every thing is a crime, we will all be criminals!

]]> By: JWindish http://themoderatevoice.com/23453/new-copyright-czar-an-f-for-the-drug-czar/comment-page-1/#comment-158677 JWindish Tue, 14 Oct 2008 02:56:47 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/society/drugs/marijuana/23453/new-copyright-czar-an-f-for-the-drug-czar/#comment-158677 Marlowecan, thanks for the pointer to Michael Heller's "The Gridlock Economy". I will be sure to follow up! Marlowecan, thanks for the pointer to Michael Heller's “The Gridlock Economy”. I will be sure to follow up!

]]> By: donthelibertariandemocrat http://themoderatevoice.com/23453/new-copyright-czar-an-f-for-the-drug-czar/comment-page-1/#comment-158676 donthelibertariandemocrat Tue, 14 Oct 2008 02:31:12 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/society/drugs/marijuana/23453/new-copyright-czar-an-f-for-the-drug-czar/#comment-158676 In all fairness, the Drug Czar = Failure. In all fairness, the Drug Czar = Failure.

]]> By: Marlowecan http://themoderatevoice.com/23453/new-copyright-czar-an-f-for-the-drug-czar/comment-page-1/#comment-158672 Marlowecan Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:58:07 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/society/drugs/marijuana/23453/new-copyright-czar-an-f-for-the-drug-czar/#comment-158672 We should remember that the bill authorizing this Czar is bipartisan, and for the benefit of all Americans. The RIAA has said as much, and would they lie to you? (At the last minute, a heroic stand by a single senator stopped the piling on of charges. For example, copying a single movie...should that movie contain several tracks of music...would have otherwise resulted in multiple charges of copyright infringement and an umpteen million dollar fine, instead of one in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.)<br><br>"This bill truly is music to the ears of all those who care about strengthening American creativity and jobs," Mitch Bainwol, chairman and chief executive of the RIAA, said in a statement. "At a critical economic juncture, this bipartisan legislation provides enhanced protection for an important asset that helps lead our global competitiveness. The intellectual property industries are widely recognized as a cornerstone of the U.S. economy. Additional tools for intellectual property enforcement are not just good for the copyright community but for consumers who will enjoy a wider array of legitimate offerings." We should remember that the bill authorizing this Czar is bipartisan, and for the benefit of all Americans. The RIAA has said as much, and would they lie to you? (At the last minute, a heroic stand by a single senator stopped the piling on of charges. For example, copying a single movie…should that movie contain several tracks of music…would have otherwise resulted in multiple charges of copyright infringement and an umpteen million dollar fine, instead of one in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.)

“This bill truly is music to the ears of all those who care about strengthening American creativity and jobs,” Mitch Bainwol, chairman and chief executive of the RIAA, said in a statement. “At a critical economic juncture, this bipartisan legislation provides enhanced protection for an important asset that helps lead our global competitiveness. The intellectual property industries are widely recognized as a cornerstone of the U.S. economy. Additional tools for intellectual property enforcement are not just good for the copyright community but for consumers who will enjoy a wider array of legitimate offerings.”

]]> By: Marlowecan http://themoderatevoice.com/23453/new-copyright-czar-an-f-for-the-drug-czar/comment-page-1/#comment-158671 Marlowecan Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:17:31 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/society/drugs/marijuana/23453/new-copyright-czar-an-f-for-the-drug-czar/#comment-158671 This Copyright Czar is an example of the American obsession with copyright and patent property rights that may slay the innovative goose that has laid the golden egg of American IT innovation. <br><br>I would recommend, for anyone interested, an excellent new book on this problem - Michael Heller's "The Gridlock Economy". We have all heard of the "tragedy of the commons". Heller has identified a paradox of private property. In Heller's words:<br><br>"Usually private ownership creates wealth. But too much ownership has the opposite effect: It creates gridlock. And that is the paradox of free markets. If too many owners control a resource, co-operation breaks down, wealth disappears and everybody loses."<br><br>The classic example of this is the history of the airplane. Though invented by Americans, by about 1910 or so airplane production and innovation had effectively stopped in the United States due to competing lawsuits, court orders and patent claims. Every new designer after the Wrights added something new to improve the airplane. New designs were found by courts to be violations of existing patents. <br><br>By this time European airplane designers had begun to pass the United States. With rising international tensions in Europe, and a stagnant airplane industry, the United States government realized it had to act. It formed a consortium, decreeing that everyone shared in airplane innovation, and effectively suspended competing claims and patent lawsuits. <br><br>The same legal chaos can be seen today in IT. The US Patent Office has come in for considerable criticism for allowing patents that are essentially "squatting" on an idea by companies who have no other reason for existence than to sue those who actually innovate an idea into reality.<br><br>Great empires tend to fall from within. Perhaps that will be the case with America and its remarkable capacity to innovate. This Copyright Czar is an example of the American obsession with copyright and patent property rights that may slay the innovative goose that has laid the golden egg of American IT innovation.

I would recommend, for anyone interested, an excellent new book on this problem – Michael Heller's “The Gridlock Economy”. We have all heard of the “tragedy of the commons”. Heller has identified a paradox of private property. In Heller's words:

“Usually private ownership creates wealth. But too much ownership has the opposite effect: It creates gridlock. And that is the paradox of free markets. If too many owners control a resource, co-operation breaks down, wealth disappears and everybody loses.”

The classic example of this is the history of the airplane. Though invented by Americans, by about 1910 or so airplane production and innovation had effectively stopped in the United States due to competing lawsuits, court orders and patent claims. Every new designer after the Wrights added something new to improve the airplane. New designs were found by courts to be violations of existing patents.

By this time European airplane designers had begun to pass the United States. With rising international tensions in Europe, and a stagnant airplane industry, the United States government realized it had to act. It formed a consortium, decreeing that everyone shared in airplane innovation, and effectively suspended competing claims and patent lawsuits.

The same legal chaos can be seen today in IT. The US Patent Office has come in for considerable criticism for allowing patents that are essentially “squatting” on an idea by companies who have no other reason for existence than to sue those who actually innovate an idea into reality.

Great empires tend to fall from within. Perhaps that will be the case with America and its remarkable capacity to innovate.

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