Ficsor can't provide evidence to back up his point
No one is acting as a revolutionary, demanding "free access" or any sort of "Maoist" revolution. To make such a claim is pure ignorance.
And that's what makes them so dangerous. They are asking for proof, and I get the impression that there isn't any to give them - or that the proof is in the negative.
Which would explain why Ficsor does nothing but rant. He can't do anything else, without having countries who've already ratified the treaties decide that they made a mistake, and pull out.
Why so many of us refuse to buy RIAA member product.
Why so many of us refuse to buy MPAA member product.
Why so many of us refuse to buy CRIA member product.
Why so many of us refuse to buy SOCAN member product.
And more join us every day, enraged at being treated like thieves. I can see a day, when the above organizations have only one customer left, and that customer is bound by chains so tight that he/she cannot enjoy the content that is being produced.
If what the customer wants is to get something for nothing, then I think that he is right - this isn't a workable business model, and there sure isn't any reason to support it.
What if the customer decided to buy something from Paramount instead of Disney, because Disney didn't provide what they wanted? If Disney can't provide what the customer wants, Disney deserves to go the way of the dinosaurs.
Three strikes laws are to the internet what store security and video camera are to shoplifting - something that had to be done to stem the tide of stealing.
Store security and video cameras are used to prevent the removal of property. In simple terms they are preventive measures. The proposed Three Strikes Laws are not a preventive measure, and do not stop the removal of property, since property is not removed, it remains.
Taking stuff without paying isn't right in any society, it's really funny to watch Mike try to tiptoe along the line between "sharing" and "stealing" - and failing all the time.
Theft (or stealing) leaves the original owner bereft of their property. File Sharing leaves the original property intact.
In file sharing you aren't taking. Taking involves removal. In file sharing the original still exists, in the same location.
Of course I guess simple concepts like this are too difficult for you.
You still pay. That's right. You still pay, even if you own the copyrights on all of the songs you perform. And since you are a busker, not a "MUSICIAN", you aren't entitled to a payout.
SOCAN is a ripoff organization. At one point I was trying to start a software company, and I called them to ask about buying "levy free" compact discs. I was told that I couldn't. When I asked them if they wanted me to move to the United States so that I could buy media "levy free" I was told that they didn't care if I did, but that if I was buying media in Canada, or importing media, and producing software compact discs, I had to pay the music copyright levy. Nice scam, isn't it?
That was about 20 years ago. Fast forward to this year. I have some good computer equipment, and friends who are singer/song writers. They often play bars, and want media to sell, and heck, the equipment is cheap now, so I bought it, and I've been doing recording. Do you think I can buy "levy free" media? Fat chance. To do that I'd have to register a company, and be buying large quantities of discs. The people I'm doing this for can't afford to buy large quantities of discs from me. Hell, if they could, they'd have a professional record them. So every disc I do for them, which has their copyrighted music on it, has a fee which goes to SOCAN. My friends get nothing back. The big acts sit back and smile.
SOCAN claims it exists for the musicians. Yeah, right.
I agree with Tor - the Streisand effect will do more to them now, than if they'd just ignored the blog posting. With this much publicity I suspect that their cash cow is going to turn into a dead skunk.
Patents are good for hardware because research in physical goods requires significant investment in raw materials, machinery, etc. What capital is required to write software? A $300 computer from Walmart will do. The low startup costs and zero marginal cost of production is why progress in software is so rapid as compared to other fields (look how far we've come in 20 years and compare to other industries).
This is incorrect. The cost of development for most "inventions" is about the same as the cost of software development. In places where patents are weak, such as China, you see the most amazing hardware developments. In places like North America where patents are strong, you see very little in the way of hardware development, except from a few large companies, who are able to fight patent infringement suits.
Industry appears to want to railroad this through regardless of what the public wants or needs. And of course the problem is that we can't even comment sensibly about it, since they won't let us see the drafts.
But what if Patents are unconstitutional, as I believe they are? The U.S. Constitution reads:
To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries
If patents do not do this, then their legality under the Constitution is questionable.
As an aside let me make you aware that you and Eugene are using "innovation" differently. He uses "innovation" to mean "inventions" generally. You use "innovation" to meant bringing products to market in useful ways and with useful features (so far as I can tell, or something close to that).
Now here is where you run into big problems. Gene doesn't understand technology, and argues that even the smallest change is patentable (for an example, propane has been used to fuel forklifts for years, from Gene's point of view a propane fueled go-kart would be patentable, where as I consider it obvious). Gene's idea of an invention is so broad that it's ridiculous. I was rather amused to find that his opinions on this are close to those of Ronald J. Riley of the Professional Inventors Alliance.
Still, obviously the monopoly is bad for the market as a whole, but that doesn't mean that disclosed inventions weren't advanced. And in manufacturing arts, those disclosures (enabling copying) do actually have significant value in and of themselves, not just because you set up a monopoly rent.
It doesn't mean that they "disclosed inventions" were advanced either, and that is the whole point of the Patent System.
As to the value of the disclosures, what value do they have, and to who? In the United States the monopoly granted by an issued patent, is granted solely for the benefit of the citizens of the United States. If they are not getting any benefit from the patent, then the patent system is unconstitutional, and therefore illegal.
And that is Mike's point. Either the patent system delivers a value to the citizens of the United States, or its unconstitutional.
They approach your company, usually claiming to have some ex-US government official as a board member, looking for a "story", and offering to do you up for $$$.
Well, an ex-US government official really doesn't do much for a Canadian, you could hire your own crew including writer for a lot less, and the hard sell was enough to piss me off totally against them anyway.
Still there are some people who get caught up in this scam, and that's what it is. A scam. A costly scam. I wonder how many companies have gotten roped in?
What if the builder of the "Pipe" holds a monopoly on delivery in a geographic area? In that case, they have no incentive to improve their network.
And since most providers don't like to compete, they try to arrange it so that they do have a Monopoly and don't have to. The cable internet situation in Canada is a good example.
If there's a problem with your business model, fighting to retain a business model that doesn't work indicates that you are divorced from reality, and rather than firing you, you should be placed on medical leave, and ordered to get psychiatric help. I'm saying this, because I would expect that to reach a leadership position like that, a certain amount of intelligence is required, so these people can't be stupid.
It's too bad. If they had the cuts to design a new business model, they'd be heros. Instead they will look like incompetents.
Anyone who uses the word "Innovation" 3 times in four bullet points is an idiot. The word "Innovation" has been so devalued by constant usage, that it no longer has any real meaning.
On the post: Hungarian Copyright Treaty Author Insists That Those Who Don't Like Anti-Circumvention Clauses Are 'Hatred-Driven' Maoists
Ficsor can't provide evidence to back up his point
On the post: Oh Look, People Are Already Looking At Expanding How Selectable Output Control Will Be Abused
And they wonder
Why so many of us refuse to buy MPAA member product.
Why so many of us refuse to buy CRIA member product.
Why so many of us refuse to buy SOCAN member product.
And more join us every day, enraged at being treated like thieves. I can see a day, when the above organizations have only one customer left, and that customer is bound by chains so tight that he/she cannot enjoy the content that is being produced.
On the post: Novelist And Poet Says Google Books And The Kindle Are 'Nazi' Technology
This is so bizarre
He's also a horrible writer, and needs to go back school and learn Essay writing.
On the post: Disney CEO: I Can't Figure Out Ways To Adapt My Business, So I Need Government Protection
Re:
On the post: Vancouver Olympics Silences Indie Rock Acts With Contractual Gag Order
Gag Clauses
Guess we'll find out.
On the post: SOCAN Wants To Charge Buskers Performance Fees
Guess what happens if you perform your own music?
SOCAN is a ripoff organization. At one point I was trying to start a software company, and I called them to ask about buying "levy free" compact discs. I was told that I couldn't. When I asked them if they wanted me to move to the United States so that I could buy media "levy free" I was told that they didn't care if I did, but that if I was buying media in Canada, or importing media, and producing software compact discs, I had to pay the music copyright levy. Nice scam, isn't it?
That was about 20 years ago. Fast forward to this year. I have some good computer equipment, and friends who are singer/song writers. They often play bars, and want media to sell, and heck, the equipment is cheap now, so I bought it, and I've been doing recording. Do you think I can buy "levy free" media? Fat chance. To do that I'd have to register a company, and be buying large quantities of discs. The people I'm doing this for can't afford to buy large quantities of discs from me. Hell, if they could, they'd have a professional record them. So every disc I do for them, which has their copyrighted music on it, has a fee which goes to SOCAN. My friends get nothing back. The big acts sit back and smile.
SOCAN claims it exists for the musicians. Yeah, right.
On the post: P2P Pre-Settlement Letters In Germany May Have Been Illegal; Lawyer Who Reveals This Threatened With Lawsuit
Hehe - guess they've got publicity now!
On the post: Defense Of Software Patents Actually Raises Questions About All Computer Patents
On the post: Senators Begin Questioning ACTA Secrecy
Cynicism seems called for in this instance
On the post: Even The Open Source Community Gets Overly Restrictive At Times
The GPL is my preference
On the post: WSJ Editor: Those Who Believe Content Should Be Free Are Neanderthals
Yawn
On the post: Is It So Crazy For A Patent Attorney To Think Patents Harm Innovation?
But what if...
On the post: Is It So Crazy For A Patent Attorney To Think Patents Harm Innovation?
Innovation
And that is Mike's point. Either the patent system delivers a value to the citizens of the United States, or its unconstitutional.
On the post: Why Is CBS Trying To Take Down Letterman Revelation Video?
Arrant Stupidity Probably
On the post: The Death Of InfomercialScams.com
It's a joke
Well, an ex-US government official really doesn't do much for a Canadian, you could hire your own crew including writer for a lot less, and the hard sell was enough to piss me off totally against them anyway.
Still there are some people who get caught up in this scam, and that's what it is. A scam. A costly scam. I wonder how many companies have gotten roped in?
On the post: Time To Start Thinking About Infinite Bandwidth
You missed one point
And since most providers don't like to compete, they try to arrange it so that they do have a Monopoly and don't have to. The cable internet situation in Canada is a good example.
On the post: Newspapers' Plan For Survival: Charge Money, Beat Up On Craigslist And Keep Repeating To Ourselves That We're Needed
Yep, suicide
It's too bad. If they had the cuts to design a new business model, they'd be heros. Instead they will look like incompetents.
On the post: National CTO's Plans Sound Pretty Good... Let's Hope They Don't Get Bogged Down In Politics
The Man is an Idiot
I was hoping for better than this.
On the post: Former Conference Board Author Explains How Lobbyists Influenced Plagiarized Reports
The Conference Board of Canada - Research you can't trust
On the post: San Jose Mercury News: No One Reads Us Any More, So Let's Start Charging
Newspaper Suicide
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