Agreed. My proposal, 5 year copyright protection with no renewals.
I am at least going to try to meet them half-way. Copyright protection is 5 years, with unlimited renewals, but every 5 years they must submit IRS statements (under penalty of perjury) showing how much they have collected for sales of the products and they will have to pay the government 35% of the sales or $10,000, which-ever is higher to renew their copyright for another five years. All money raised will go into a copyright holding system, a website run by the copyright office which shows the title of the work, the copyright status and who paid for and how much the copyright tax was, and when the copyright expires.
Now if they could just get experts in their respective fields to write the text books for free instead of selling out to "da man" for a paycheck.
Who said the experts need to do this for free. Linux is free -- yet a vast majority of those working on Linux are paid. Once you guys get it through your mind that the product being free doesn't mean those who work on the product must do so for free, the world will be a better place.
There are plenty of business models that can work in the world of free product, unfree labor.
More specifically, it was an award of statutory/punitive damages, not actual damages. They never proved that any damage occurred, and thus the jury/court only could award statutory damages of not less than $750 and not greater than $150,000 per work infringed.
Also I am sure Battlefield Earth was a story that needed telling.
Well, it was the only way for Scientologists to counter the release of OTIII to the general public and have it sound less wacko and bat-shit crazy than it is. It wasn't a bad story -- just not one you could create a good religion around.
And while we're at it, I'd like Blizzard to leave the unholy alliance with Activision.
While I'd love it, remember that there really isn't anyone left in Blizzard who was there before Activision took over, so it isn't likely that they will ever leave. I've not bought anything Blizzard since they put their foot down on bnetd. Since then, they've attacked WoW private servers and starcraft 2 private servers.
I don't trust any company that takes out volunteers who reverse engineer their protocols to come up with private servers because I've given my money to way too many companies who dropped their support of a product 3-6 years later and I was no longer able to play their game that I spent so much time and money on. I am happy that LucasArts hasn't attacked the StarWars Galaxies emulator folks yet (I went out and bought Star Wars Galaxies specifically because the company didn't attack the emulators even when it was shutting down its own servers.)
That is why people should not trust the cloud for anything critical.
It really depends on what you are using the cloud for. If you are running multiple copies of the same critical webserver or other service, then you may be ok. However, if you are putting all your eggs in one basket in the cloud, you're screwed.
I'd tend to use the cloud for things like game servers and xmpp/mumble servers where I can set up a network of devices interconnected with one another and then if one server gets dumped, all other servers are still there. Certainly a lot cheaper than ten dedicated co-loc servers.
Wait, Mike has his own SuperPAC now? Where do I donate?
Well, if Anonymous Coward is correct, which I doubt, then apparently I have already donated to Mike's SuperPAC. The donate button is where you want to go, and I am so hoping someone takes Mike up on the $1,000,000 donation at some point -- just so we can know that someone finally took him up on the offer and bought him out for the year.
I'm just a harmless kitten in a Guy Fawkes mask... why fear me?
Heh, I have a cat (or more appropriately, I am owned by a cat.) Always fear the cat. They have that nasty "claw, claw, bite" thing going for them, and they are the very definition of crazy.
Well there was that woman who claimed some kind of rights to the sun. Trademark maybe, I don't remember. Talk about crazy.
Yeah, there are all types of crazy. I figure the only person who could lay claim to the sun was the person who was there when the atoms of hydrogen began collapsing and the nuclear fire began, or, like was pointed out in that article, she takes up permanent residence on the sun. Since neither has happened, she is a loon and can be safely ignored.
The sun. Since it's in the photo it demands payment. Plus despite being in public view, you're violating it's privacy.
This is very close to reality; not some imaginary privilege that some people think they have based on the law. The Universe owns everything. We are just visitors. 175 years from now we'll be lucky if someone even remembers that we existed, which is why copyright being life+95 is absolutely asinine -- it certainly isn't going to get an author to write more after they are dead.
You guys just don't understand! You have to pass the treaties/global laws before you can read what is in them. Jeesh, crony capitalism and bought politicians only work that way! It is the only way to keep us intellectually challenged trolls in power and keeps artists from realizing there is an easier, better way of getting noticed instead of going through us where we can rip them off.
The issue is that, without the original image, the derivative work would not exist. Replacing the Rastafarian with a stick figure would make for a completely different work.
I have a feeling that the artist would still be sued, even if it was a stick figure. Their mentality is that it should have been created from scratch, "because only good artists create from scratch." It is a mantra I've heard more than a few times here to defend these lawsuits. My response, as always, is show me something that was an entirely original creation, not inspired by something else, and I have yet to have anyone offer something that comes close. We live off the backs of giants, and every work of art is derivative in some form or another. Even the muses come from Ancient Greece.
On the post: How Much Is Enough? We've Passed 15 'Anti-Piracy' Laws In The Last 30 Years
Re: Re: Re:
I am at least going to try to meet them half-way. Copyright protection is 5 years, with unlimited renewals, but every 5 years they must submit IRS statements (under penalty of perjury) showing how much they have collected for sales of the products and they will have to pay the government 35% of the sales or $10,000, which-ever is higher to renew their copyright for another five years. All money raised will go into a copyright holding system, a website run by the copyright office which shows the title of the work, the copyright status and who paid for and how much the copyright tax was, and when the copyright expires.
On the post: The World Of Open Textbooks Just Became A Little More Crowded -- And A Little More Open
Re:
Who said the experts need to do this for free. Linux is free -- yet a vast majority of those working on Linux are paid. Once you guys get it through your mind that the product being free doesn't mean those who work on the product must do so for free, the world will be a better place.
There are plenty of business models that can work in the world of free product, unfree labor.
On the post: How Does The Penalty For 'Content Theft' Match Up With Similar 'Crimes'?
Re: Re: Re: Re:
More specifically, it was an award of statutory/punitive damages, not actual damages. They never proved that any damage occurred, and thus the jury/court only could award statutory damages of not less than $750 and not greater than $150,000 per work infringed.
On the post: Iranian Filmmaker Banned From Filmmaking... Makes Documentary Via His iPhone About His Plight
Re: Re:
Well, it was the only way for Scientologists to counter the release of OTIII to the general public and have it sound less wacko and bat-shit crazy than it is. It wasn't a bad story -- just not one you could create a good religion around.
On the post: People Rushing To Give Hundreds Of Thousands Of Dollars In Just Hours For Brand New Adventure Game
Re: Re: EA
While I'd love it, remember that there really isn't anyone left in Blizzard who was there before Activision took over, so it isn't likely that they will ever leave. I've not bought anything Blizzard since they put their foot down on bnetd. Since then, they've attacked WoW private servers and starcraft 2 private servers.
I don't trust any company that takes out volunteers who reverse engineer their protocols to come up with private servers because I've given my money to way too many companies who dropped their support of a product 3-6 years later and I was no longer able to play their game that I spent so much time and money on. I am happy that LucasArts hasn't attacked the StarWars Galaxies emulator folks yet (I went out and bought Star Wars Galaxies specifically because the company didn't attack the emulators even when it was shutting down its own servers.)
On the post: Trustwave Admits It Issued A Certificate To Allow Company To Run Man-In-The-Middle Attacks
Re:
It really depends on what you are using the cloud for. If you are running multiple copies of the same critical webserver or other service, then you may be ok. However, if you are putting all your eggs in one basket in the cloud, you're screwed.
I'd tend to use the cloud for things like game servers and xmpp/mumble servers where I can set up a network of devices interconnected with one another and then if one server gets dumped, all other servers are still there. Certainly a lot cheaper than ten dedicated co-loc servers.
On the post: The Rise Of The 'Professional Amateur' And The Fall Of Gated, Exclusionary 'Clubs'
Re:
I love all that awesome original content that Anonymous Coward funds and produces.
On the post: People Realizing That It Wasn't Google Lobbying That Stopped PIPA/SOPA
Re: Re:
Well, if Anonymous Coward is correct, which I doubt, then apparently I have already donated to Mike's SuperPAC. The donate button is where you want to go, and I am so hoping someone takes Mike up on the $1,000,000 donation at some point -- just so we can know that someone finally took him up on the offer and bought him out for the year.
On the post: People Realizing That It Wasn't Google Lobbying That Stopped PIPA/SOPA
Re: Re: Yes, it was Google-- and the people Google pays....
Mine too. A couple weeks ago some anonymous coward said he got his, but I think he was lying.
I got bills to pay and a check from Google for my efforts would really help out. /sarc
On the post: Photographer Appeals Ruling Saying It's Not Infringement To Have Vaguely Similar Photos
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Heh, I have a cat (or more appropriately, I am owned by a cat.) Always fear the cat. They have that nasty "claw, claw, bite" thing going for them, and they are the very definition of crazy.
On the post: Photographer Appeals Ruling Saying It's Not Infringement To Have Vaguely Similar Photos
Re: Re: Re: Re: What if
Yeah, there are all types of crazy. I figure the only person who could lay claim to the sun was the person who was there when the atoms of hydrogen began collapsing and the nuclear fire began, or, like was pointed out in that article, she takes up permanent residence on the sun. Since neither has happened, she is a loon and can be safely ignored.
On the post: NY Times: RIAA & MPAA Exaggerate Piracy Impact Stats... But We're Going To Assume They're True Anyway
Re: Re: Re: Re: But...But...$100 Million Movie!
Probably. I was trying to be kind and giving the industry the benefit of the doubt that they weren't all greedy trolls.
On the post: Yet Another (Yes Another!) Study Suggests Hollywood's Problem Is Dumb Release Windows That Cost It Money
Re: Re:
Eejit, unfamiliar with that word. Is that "A** My Laughing Off" or something else?
On the post: NY Times: RIAA & MPAA Exaggerate Piracy Impact Stats... But We're Going To Assume They're True Anyway
Re: Re: But...But...$100 Million Movie!
Heh, according to their accounting sheets, very few movies turn a profit, whether they are 100M or 100K.
On the post: Photographer Appeals Ruling Saying It's Not Infringement To Have Vaguely Similar Photos
Re: Re: What if
This is very close to reality; not some imaginary privilege that some people think they have based on the law. The Universe owns everything. We are just visitors. 175 years from now we'll be lucky if someone even remembers that we existed, which is why copyright being life+95 is absolutely asinine -- it certainly isn't going to get an author to write more after they are dead.
On the post: Photographer Appeals Ruling Saying It's Not Infringement To Have Vaguely Similar Photos
Re: Re: Re:
Seconded. "That Anonymous Coward" has always had a Guy Fawkes Mask. And it is a still a good idea to be reluctant to annoy him.
On the post: Romanian Prime Minister Admits He Has No Idea Why Romania Signed ACTA
Re: Re: Re: Re: I wonder
Yup, I like your version better. Someone needs to send Senator Pelosi a bill for violating your copyright/patent.
On the post: Romanian Prime Minister Admits He Has No Idea Why Romania Signed ACTA
Re: Re: I wonder
You guys just don't understand! You have to pass the treaties/global laws before you can read what is in them. Jeesh, crony capitalism and bought politicians only work that way! It is the only way to keep us intellectually challenged trolls in power and keeps artists from realizing there is an easier, better way of getting noticed instead of going through us where we can rip them off.
/sarc
On the post: ICE Seizes 300 More Sites; Can't Have People Watching Super Bowl Ads Without Permission
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: This sucks
Do we really want people this intellectually challenged buying laws which affect the rest of us?
On the post: When Judges Are Determining Whether Or Not Art Should Exist... We Have A Problem
Re:
I have a feeling that the artist would still be sued, even if it was a stick figure. Their mentality is that it should have been created from scratch, "because only good artists create from scratch." It is a mantra I've heard more than a few times here to defend these lawsuits. My response, as always, is show me something that was an entirely original creation, not inspired by something else, and I have yet to have anyone offer something that comes close. We live off the backs of giants, and every work of art is derivative in some form or another. Even the muses come from Ancient Greece.
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