Techdirt Reading List: Piracy: The Intellectual Property Wars From Gutenberg To Gates

from the the-pirates-go-way-back dept

Thu, Nov 12th 2015 12:53pm — Mike Masnick

We're back again with another in our weekly reading list posts of books we think our community will find interesting and thought provoking. Once again, buying the book via the Amazon links in this story also helps support Techdirt.

This week, we've got a massive tome of a book in Piracy: The Intellectual Property Wars from Gutenberg to Gates by Adrian Johns. Weighing in at over 600 pages, this is a highly readable and entertaining look at the fact that the whole concept of "intellectual property piracy" (as much of a misleading term as that may be) didn't just start with the rise of the internet, but has been going back centuries.

This book really helps put into perspective the fights over the past few years, and shows how these battles concerning the freedom of information and knowledge go back pretty much since the dawn of the ability to create "content" in some fixed form. Even better, it also highlights how over and over and over again, what starts out as "piracy" actually turns out to be key innovations that drives the whole world of culture forward. It's the kind of perspective that is sorely needed -- but frequently lacking -- from debates over the topic. While I've been familiar with many historical examples of fights over "infringement," this book took my knowledge and understanding to new levels. It's packed with useful information.

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Filed Under: adrian johns, history, intellectual property, piracy, reading list, techdirt reading list

8 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 12 Nov 2015 @ 1:38pm

I do wonder why the inventions that start out as "piracy" and end up being key innovations often return to a regime of extremist protectionism.
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- Anonymous Coward, 12 Nov 2015 @ 1:47pm
  
  Re:
  Their failure to innovate leads to only one outcome: protectionism.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 12 Nov 2015 @ 2:02pm
    
    Re: Re:
    You misunderstand -
    
    Why, when innovations break through the constant accusations of "piracy" and eventually supplant the old way of consuming media, is the reaction by those in charge always the same?
    
    Protectionism protectionism protectionism.
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    - JoeCool (profile), 12 Nov 2015 @ 4:05pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      He already said why - innovators usually quit innovating as soon as they become the standard. Once they do so, they switch to protectionism.
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      - JoeCool (profile), 12 Nov 2015 @ 4:07pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Oh, if you mean the ROOT CAUSE of the switch, it's almost ALWAYS when lawyers infest the company. It's an infection that causes the company to rot from the inside.
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Nov 2015 @ 12:09pm

"Intellectual Property" is not possible. Intelect is not material.
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Monday (profile), 13 Nov 2015 @ 2:03pm

Ordering the book.
What do I need to click in ordering this from Amazon? The "donate to Charity?"

First time ordering through your link...
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- spockers, 15 Nov 2015 @ 5:42am
  
  Re: Ordering the book.
  Look in the second paragraph, the title of the book is an Amazon link.
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