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> The copyright OWNERS are to be denied their rights to do with their property what they wish? Yes. The purpose of copyright is to protect and promote cultural
by Georgelemental 3y ago
> The copyright OWNERS are to be denied their rights to do with their property what they wish?
Yes. The purpose of copyright is to protect and promote cultural works, that's why governments instituted it. If the institution is no longer serving its purpose, it should be reformed
- bitwize 3y agoI don't mean to contribute to Alyssa Rosenzweig's observed toxic techbrosplaining and 'um, actually'ing here on Hackernews but, um, actually... In the UK the purpose of copyright was originally to give the King's approved publishers a monopoly on published material. The copyright was literally a right to copy, to operate a printing press. Even today, in France copyright is seen as a droit d'auteur, a moral right to a work you have simply by being the author of the work. Forget promoting cultural works for the public's benefit. As the author you are entitled even to determine who may even see the work, and how they may see it. You can go full Prince and lock your magnum opus in a vault, that is a right that is legally and morally respected. It's only in the USA where the justification of copyright is to "promote the progress of Science and the useful Arts", and so we feel entitled to other people's work.
- Georgelemental 3y agoI understand, even agree with, the "droit d'auteur" view, when there is a single primary author (or small group) that is still alive and holds the rights. But not for megacorp publishing houses, or the spoiled grandchildren of a long-dead author.