That's the Catch-22. Since someone can potentially step forward and legitimately claim copyright, nobody with anything at stake will ever use the work. At least before you would pay Warner and know you wouldn't get sued. Now you have no idea - so the situation is actually worse. Somebody might own it but can't prove it.
Orphan works perfectly demonstrate the failure of current copyright law, and it's a problem that will only grow worse with time.
All the court case showed was that Warner didn't hold the copyright, not that the work wasn't still under copyright. It left the door open that somebody might still have copyright over the lyrics - although nobody knows who.
The price of book has very little to do with the cost of the paper it's printed on (or lack of). It costs just as much to write an ebook as it does a print book. The actual printing and shipping costs are minimal.
But you have about about resale value. That's something publishers don't really care about (although I'm sure they're happy you can't resell your ebooks).
I have yet to buy an ebook reader and this is the main reason why. They're all loaded with limitations and pointless hoops just to get your content on the device.
Either you didn't get my point, or you're trying to change my argument.
I never said laws don't have a moral basis, I said the moral basis of laws where others are harmed is completely different than the moral basis where nobody is harmed, so you can't compare laws simply because of their moral basis, which is what you were trying to do.
Also, theft and fraud harm people - not physically but financially. It's an act against another person or their property.
Theft, murder, fraud, and jumping the turnstile are all crime perpetrated against someone else. Those actions harm others - every single time. They share a common morality that it's bad to harm others. Even jaywalking is against the law because of the harm it can cause to others, and it's a shaky law at best (since the majority of the time, no harm is caused).
This isn't the case with drugs, where like alcohol, most of the time no harm is done to anyone - not even the user. The moral case for prohibition has nothing to do with the moral case against murder or theft and they can't be compared on the basis of morality.
For starters, wizards predates copyright, unlike Batman.
Second, a wizard is a generic character type, like a policeman or a bartender (or a superhero) - it's not a specific character. Call your wizard Gandalf and you're dealing with copyright. Call him Randalf and you're fine.
Also, there are far more wizards in movies than there are batmans.
On the post: NBC's Ingenious Solution To Ad Skipping And Low Ratings: More Embarrassingly Unfunny Product Placement
Re: Advertising supported radio and television has always been on verge of collapse.
More copyright will fix this? Again, you're absolutely wrong.
Nevermind that copyright has absolutely nothing to do with any of this.
On the post: Purdue University Completely Freaks Out Because Bart Gellman's Speech Shows Classified Snowden Docs Already Seen By Millions
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On the post: Purdue University Completely Freaks Out Because Bart Gellman's Speech Shows Classified Snowden Docs Already Seen By Millions
On the post: Happy Birthday And The Problem With The Copyright Office's 'Orphan Works' Plan
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Orphan works perfectly demonstrate the failure of current copyright law, and it's a problem that will only grow worse with time.
On the post: Techdirt Podcast Episode 45: No, You're Not The Product
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On the post: Happy Birthday And The Problem With The Copyright Office's 'Orphan Works' Plan
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On the post: Happy Birthday And The Problem With The Copyright Office's 'Orphan Works' Plan
Re: Should be 28 years
On the post: The Stagnation Of eBooks Due To Closed Platforms And DRM
Re: Re: Re: One-sided 'innovation'
But you have about about resale value. That's something publishers don't really care about (although I'm sure they're happy you can't resell your ebooks).
On the post: The Stagnation Of eBooks Due To Closed Platforms And DRM
On the post: John Oliver Would Like You To Replace Your Bogus Facebook Copyright Privacy Statement With His Own
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On the post: John Oliver Would Like You To Replace Your Bogus Facebook Copyright Privacy Statement With His Own
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On the post: In The Post-Ferguson World, Cops Are Now Victims And It's The Public That's Going To Pay The Price
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Excelllent piece
I never said laws don't have a moral basis, I said the moral basis of laws where others are harmed is completely different than the moral basis where nobody is harmed, so you can't compare laws simply because of their moral basis, which is what you were trying to do.
Also, theft and fraud harm people - not physically but financially. It's an act against another person or their property.
On the post: In The Post-Ferguson World, Cops Are Now Victims And It's The Public That's Going To Pay The Price
Re: Re: Re: Re: Excelllent piece
On the post: 71% Of Americans Oppose Civil Asset Forfeiture. Too Bad Their Representatives Don't Care.
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On the post: In The Post-Ferguson World, Cops Are Now Victims And It's The Public That's Going To Pay The Price
Re: Re: Re: Excelllent piece
This isn't the case with drugs, where like alcohol, most of the time no harm is done to anyone - not even the user. The moral case for prohibition has nothing to do with the moral case against murder or theft and they can't be compared on the basis of morality.
On the post: In The Post-Ferguson World, Cops Are Now Victims And It's The Public That's Going To Pay The Price
Re: Re: doubling down on stupid...
On the post: UK Copyright Group Plans Heavy Anti-Piracy Measures For Bond Film Because Of How Successful It Will Be
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On the post: Marilyn Monroe Estate Trying To Use Trademark To Enforce Publicity Rights Court Said It Doesn't Have
Re: Re: and this is why
On the post: Appeals Court Says The Batmobile Is A 'Character' Covered By Copyright
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Second, a wizard is a generic character type, like a policeman or a bartender (or a superhero) - it's not a specific character. Call your wizard Gandalf and you're dealing with copyright. Call him Randalf and you're fine.
Also, there are far more wizards in movies than there are batmans.
On the post: Appeals Court Says The Batmobile Is A 'Character' Covered By Copyright
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