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Chris Hollander

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SOPA wants to modernize penal and enforcement policies, should we also modernize definition of Intellectual Property?

Anyone who has used any form of creative software has at some time utilized templates, loops, backgrounds, fonts or any number of preconceived designs in the process of generating their own work. Under our current standards these designs are considered intellectual property the same as the more traditional forms; books, music, movies ect. Typically, a company like Microsoft will allow use of the Helvetica font under its licensing of its product, Word, but does the nature of the explosion of reuse and reformation of designs to create entirely new and imaginative expressions demand rethinking of how we determine the value and definition of digital intellectual property?

Are there other areas of Copyright law that need similar scrutiny ?
(GMOs, Life Patents, Trademarks ect.)

Can the argument be made that we have outgrown Copyright law as a society?

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  • robert h

    • +2
    Jan 27 2012: How much is the ten year old plasma TV worth? The $15000 original price tag, or the $500 price tag of a plasma TV today, which not only bigger and has far superior picture quality, not to mention other bells and whistles?
    How much is a ten year old car worth? even if it sat in a garage all that time?
    If I manufacture hammers, do I get paid every time the carpenter uses it?
    How much would a ten year old movie,TV show or song be worth?
    In all those cases the value would be minimal , and any value above that would be artificial. Just because a fortune is spend on making a movie does not make it valuable or more entertaining. Most of today's production is pure hype and crap, that is why they are remaking products from the past. Let Hollywood go bankrupt, there is enough entertainment available to keep this and future generation happy, or we will find alternative ways to entertain our self.

    • Robert Ruffo

      • 0
      Jan 28 2012: If you manufacture a hammer you get paid once when it is sold - this is protected by law. No one will come out and say that hammer should be free because they don't like what other hammer makers have been producing, or that there should be some voluntary contribution as a price, or that you need to develop some new business model because the government has decided to throw the entire hardware industry to the wolves because the majority of voters think hammers should be free, or that there should be no deterrents to their theft.

      How would you like it if I said "let whatever your business is go bankrupt - I don;' personally like what you produce - I think when people try to rob you we should not send the police". The economy is in a bad place, and your suggestion is to destroy yet more jobs. Besides, it's not just Hollywood, it's software, books, even pharmaceutical formulas that are being pirated.
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        Mitch SMith 50+

        • 0
        Feb 1 2012: Mr Ruffo,When I was a kid, it was said that "a job in the bank was a job for life" so I got a job in the bank - it lasted 18 months - I was a teller in the first bank in Australia to adopt computers.SO then later - I became a musician - I was adept on Guitar practicing 6 hours every day for years.Then THe guitar became unfashionable - I learned to play synthesisers - did OK for a while, then TV and the CD destroyed the live music scene - I went and learned COBOL business computing - I worked for big business, then COBOL went out of fashion, I learned business analysis and became a consultant making jobs obsolete .. then I tried to protect women in the workplace and very soon found myself on the street. Now I make musical instruments .. now I have work again. I have not had a "job" in years. Pretty soon the fashion will move again and I will be doing other work.There is a big difference between "job" and "work" - job you do for money, work you do for life.Who or what do you work for?
        And why should I have a shred of sympathy for lazy idiots in "jobs"? Or lazy mongerels trying to make "law" deliver them their life on a plate?

        • Robert Ruffo

          • 0
          Feb 1 2012: I do not consider my clients slave masters. Most I would consider friends. I am happily self-employed. You seem to have had an unfortunate time in life, and an unfortunate view of what life should be. I hope you find better answers in the future.
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        Mitch SMith 50+

        • 0
        Feb 1 2012: Mr Rufo, Did I say I didn't like all this moving around? I'm having a ball - have done all my life.No - I'm pointing out that life is dynamic. That attempts to slow it down are futile and that if you try, you cause more damage than benefit.
        You seem to have trouble organising your thoughts.
        You also equate physical goods with intellectual "products"It just doesn't work - physical goods are subject to entropy - your hammer will wear out, Each and every copy of a hammer costs materials and effort to make.
        E=MCsqr will never wear out - It cost some time to make, no materials, and every copy since then cost nothing to produce.
        Using physical methods simply does not work on the non-physical.
        The practice of IP was deliberately done to skew economy in the favor of the ideas-maker.
        THere may have been a time in history when that was required. But that time has passed.
        Now the skew becomes a great imballance. TIme to fix it and move on.
        Here's one to consider:
        If the online market became patronise-to-make/download-for-free. What would happen with child-porn?
        THe makers of destructive porn would go out of business.
        You see, it is the very per-unit-market that IP tries to impose that creates the market that porn thrives in. Can you imagine how easy it would become to police pornography then - you would simply locate the patrons of it - instead of chasing down the randon customers of it.
        You seem to be trapped in local minima - perhaps you should think things through.

      • robert h

        • 0
        Feb 2 2012: Businesses that produce things that are wanted and are of quality and have a fair price will continue to succeed. Produce over valued crap like Hollywood, then yes it will not succeed.

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