> since without copyright the copyleft restrictions (having to deliver the source code under an identical/suitable license for derivates of the program) We cou

> since without copyright the copyleft restrictions (having to deliver the source code under an identical/suitable license for derivates of the program) We could have regulations around distributing source code that are completely divorced from copyright—it could be seen as a matter of "right to repair" or transparency or just as a right on its own. I expect that people ideologically in favor of free software would prefer that to needing copyleft licenses. The fact that copyleft builds on top of copyright is a nice bit of legal judo, using the existing framework to achieve the opposite of what it's intended for—but it's ultimately just an implementation detail.