Comments on: The Misunderstanding of IP Isn’t New http://mistypedurl.com/2010/01/the-misunderstanding-of-ip-isnt-new/ | Digital Detritus from Michael Castello Mon, 14 May 2012 21:09:43 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: SteelWolf http://mistypedurl.com/2010/01/the-misunderstanding-of-ip-isnt-new/comment-page-1/#comment-487 SteelWolf Sun, 17 Jan 2010 17:02:52 +0000 http://mistypedurl.com/2010/01/the-misunderstanding-behind-intellectual-property-isnt-new/#comment-487 Thanks Henry. :) Thanks Henry. :)

]]> By: Henry Emrich http://mistypedurl.com/2010/01/the-misunderstanding-of-ip-isnt-new/comment-page-1/#comment-486 Henry Emrich Fri, 15 Jan 2010 01:32:08 +0000 http://mistypedurl.com/2010/01/the-misunderstanding-behind-intellectual-property-isnt-new/#comment-486 Crosbie: SPOT ON! Astute as usual, dude. :) Crosbie:

SPOT ON!
Astute as usual, dude. :)

]]> By: SteelWolf http://mistypedurl.com/2010/01/the-misunderstanding-of-ip-isnt-new/comment-page-1/#comment-479 SteelWolf Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:53:05 +0000 http://mistypedurl.com/2010/01/the-misunderstanding-behind-intellectual-property-isnt-new/#comment-479 I think your analysis here is spot on. In my post I used that line to try and minimize the "Oh no, you brought up slavery!" reaction. Your statement that both are constraints on individual liberties succinctly draws the correct parallel, and I'll probably borrow that in the future. ;) I think your analysis here is spot on. In my post I used that line to try and minimize the “Oh no, you brought up slavery!” reaction. Your statement that both are constraints on individual liberties succinctly draws the correct parallel, and I’ll probably borrow that in the future. ;)

]]> By: Crosbie Fitch http://mistypedurl.com/2010/01/the-misunderstanding-of-ip-isnt-new/comment-page-1/#comment-478 Crosbie Fitch Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:22:45 +0000 http://mistypedurl.com/2010/01/the-misunderstanding-behind-intellectual-property-isnt-new/#comment-478 You say "Cultural works aren't people", but this misses the point. Copyright and patent don't constrain cultural works, those privileges constrain people. Copyright suspends the liberty of people to make copies. It doesn't by some magic make a song uncopyable (you may be thinking of DRM). So, copyright and patent are 18th century proprietary constraints on individuals' cultural liberty, constraints that were trivial in that age when individuals could suffer proprietary constraints on their physical liberty. When people say software should be free they mean that people should be free to copy it. They aren't saying "Software should be free" in the same sense as "Nelson Mandela should be free". You can lock the software in a cellar and throw away the key. The software is just ones and zeroes. It's the people who write it and buy it who should be free to do what they want with it. There is a good deal of similarity between slavery and the privileges of copyright and patent. They all concern proprietary constraints over people. That is why they are all unethical and should be abolished. You say “Cultural works aren’t people”, but this misses the point. Copyright and patent don’t constrain cultural works, those privileges constrain people. Copyright suspends the liberty of people to make copies. It doesn’t by some magic make a song uncopyable (you may be thinking of DRM).

So, copyright and patent are 18th century proprietary constraints on individuals’ cultural liberty, constraints that were trivial in that age when individuals could suffer proprietary constraints on their physical liberty.

When people say software should be free they mean that people should be free to copy it. They aren’t saying “Software should be free” in the same sense as “Nelson Mandela should be free”. You can lock the software in a cellar and throw away the key. The software is just ones and zeroes. It’s the people who write it and buy it who should be free to do what they want with it.

There is a good deal of similarity between slavery and the privileges of copyright and patent. They all concern proprietary constraints over people. That is why they are all unethical and should be abolished.

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