> Not so with copyright, it limits what people can do with goods after they have been exchanged
Fair use is awesome. Copyrights shouldn't last forever. Unfortunately, a lot of people have been conned by places like TPB - which punish everyone, including those who make OSS, and people who give away some of their works for free but charge for others - into thinking copyright reform requires advocating piracy.
There are many people who believe authors deserve to be paid, but fair use has a place. In fact, I think most human being fit into that category. Advocating for fair use while advocating stealing alienates everyone from the cause.
I'm not advocating piracy, and neither is anyone else here. However, I think you should be more realistic towards it and realize that it's not such a big deal. Casual non-commercial private copying of stuff probably doesn't hurt anyone. You shouldn't do it, but if someone does, it doesn't equal a lost sale for the creator.
And, to return to the original article, I'm convinced that dealing with it in this heavy-handed way, by adding more legislation, more law enforcement, isn't the right way. And I don't think it helps you or me as creators.
(I also wish people would stop downvoting you just because they disagree, that's really not the HN way. :-/ )
> I think you should be more realistic towards it and realize that it's not such a big deal.
It really is if you've had your work stolen. There are 3 people, last time I checked, in this thread who have. They're all pretty strongly against piracy.
> (I also wish people would stop downvoting you just because they disagree, that's really not the HN way. :-/ )
Hehe, thanks. It's been quite odd to watch - +2, -1, +1 etc as different groups for and against moderate reddit style.
Fair use is awesome. Copyrights shouldn't last forever. Unfortunately, a lot of people have been conned by places like TPB - which punish everyone, including those who make OSS, and people who give away some of their works for free but charge for others - into thinking copyright reform requires advocating piracy.
There are many people who believe authors deserve to be paid, but fair use has a place. In fact, I think most human being fit into that category. Advocating for fair use while advocating stealing alienates everyone from the cause.