[Umami]

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/201...l-reform.shtml

This makes me very sad. House republicans released a fantastic report on copyright reform that was spot-on, then the MPAA and RIAA apparently beat them into submission for it in less than 24 hours.

excerpts from the article

...
Thus, according to the Constitution, the overriding purpose of the copyright system is to “promote the progress of science and useful arts.” In today’s terminology we may say that the purpose is to lead to maximum productivity and innovation.

This is a major distinction, because most legislative discussions on this topic, particularly during the extension of the copyright term, are not premised upon what is in the public good or what will promote the most productivity and innovation, but rather what the content creators “deserve” or are “entitled to” by virtue of their creation. This lexicon is appropriate in the realm of taxation and sometimes in the realm of trade protection, but it is inappropriate in the realm of patents and copyrights.

...

Copyright violates nearly every tenet of laissez faire capitalism. Under the current system of copyright, producers of content are entitled to a guaranteed, government instituted, government subsidized content-monopoly.

...

Today’s legal regime of copyright law is seen by many as a form of corporate welfare that hurts innovation and hurts the consumer. It is a system that picks winners and losers, and the losers are new industries that could generate new wealth and added value. We frankly may have no idea how it actually hurts innovation, because we don’t know what isn’t able to be produced as a result of our current system.

If you haven't watched it yet: http://www.everythingisaremix.info/watch-the-series/

It is disheartening to get a glimpse of what the GOP is capable of, then watch it completely vanish because of kowtowing to corporate masters.

[Overbear]

I have always been very anti IP rights. I don't give a **** who creates what, in my view you set a hard limit of 2 years "copyright" and that includes the drug companies, then its everyones game.

[StellarKnight]

I'm kind of surprised there haven't been more comments on this, but then kind of not. There is a pretty big movement in the legal community to reform our patent/copyright system, and many of the suggestions made in the RSC memo have been floated by some pretty prominent legal scholars and firms with influence in the area.

This incident illustrates a couple of the systemic problems of today's GOP. Republicans have been pulling their hair out trying to pin Nov. 7 on something, but they really need to sit back and do some serious soul searching. For the record: Democrats have crawled inside the ******* of the entertainment industry and have no intention of leaving, so it's no surprise we don't see much by way of copyright reform coming from their camp.

[Umami]

Originally Posted by StellarKnight

This incident illustrates a couple of the systemic problems of today's GOP. Republicans have been pulling their hair out trying to pin Nov. 7 on something, but they really need to sit back and do some serious soul searching. For the record: Democrats have crawled inside the ******* of the entertainment industry and have no intention of leaving, so it's no surprise we don't see much by way of copyright reform coming from their camp.

Oh definitely. Which is why I was so hopeful when I first saw this, and why it's important to have at least two parties that are capable of functioning within the realm of reality. "Unskewedpolls.com" seems to be the prevailing metaphor for the GOP at the moment, it is a realm of self-imposed delusion.

Apple's behaviour may sound bizarre, but there's a very good reason why many companies ignore the patent system when it comes to software. A recent study found that if every software producing firm in America wanted to check just the new software patents issued in a given year, about two million patent attorneys working full time would be needed to do the job.

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/2012...-absurd-battle

[AlphaNeo36]

Is it possible it was posted without approval like they said? The techdirt article is making a few assumptions about the redaction without any reasoning.

[Space Pope]

My friend is an electrical engineer at the US patent office. Every day he rejects patents from Apple, Sony, and other large electronics companies who just submit hundreds and hundreds of patents hoping one will stick. They are usually dozens for the same thing, worded differently or having minor details added/removed.

Originally Posted by Overbear

I have always been very anti IP rights. I don't give a **** who creates what, in my view you set a hard limit of 2 years "copyright" and that includes the drug companies, then its everyones game.

Sounds like something someone who lacks the capacity develop intellectual property of his own would say.

[Umami]

Originally Posted by AlphaNeo36

Is it possible it was posted without approval like they said? The techdirt article is making a few assumptions about the redaction without any reasoning.

Regardless of whether or not it was approved, it makes many points that people who work in the patent world would agree with. It also makes several great suggestions that should be looked into further.

If it wasn't approved it should have been. After the resounding defeat in November Republicans have an opportunity to re-brand themselves on the side of innovation and growth rather than vested and stagnant corporate interests, but it's pretty obvious to see which side they're landing on. Democrats sure as **** aren't going to do anything, they're sitting pretty as long as the GOP continues to eat ****.

[quakcer]

Originally Posted by Space Pope

My friend is an electrical engineer

Sounds like you need to come clean with your "friend" on how you really think of him.

[Space Pope]

Originally Posted by quakcer

Sounds like you need to come clean with your "friend" on how you really think of him.

He knows hes ****ing weird. What is your point?

Oh right. You are an idiot.

[quakcer]

Originally Posted by Space Pope

He knows hes ****ing weird. What is your point?

Oh right. You are an idiot.

Lol, someone who makes baseless generalizations is calling me an idiot. When will the irony stop?

[TheSilentAssassin]

Originally Posted by quakcer

Lol, someone who makes baseless generalizations is calling me an idiot. When will the irony stop?

It's not irony. You are an idiot. Go away.

[quakcer]

Originally Posted by TheSilentAssassin

It's not irony. You are an idiot. Go away.

No it definitely is irony, and you are also an idiot for defending an idiot, and based on all your previous idiotic posts as well.

[StellarKnight]

Originally Posted by Space Pope

My friend is an electrical engineer at the US patent office. Every day he rejects patents from Apple, Sony, and other large electronics companies who just submit hundreds and hundreds of patents hoping one will stick. They are usually dozens for the same thing, worded differently or having minor details added/removed.

This is a problem. I don't know if it's a problem with the patent system or just corporate culture in general, probably both.

Originally Posted by quakcer

No it definitely is irony, and you are also an idiot for defending an idiot, and based on all your previous idiotic posts as well.

Is it possible for you to not completely thread**** with every goddamn post you make?

I hope to Jesus you're not this much of a whiny ***** in real life.

[Space Pope]

Originally Posted by quakcer

Lol, someone who makes baseless generalizations is calling me an idiot. When will the irony stop?

You are the one who cannot figure out that an entire subforum is trolling him.

[quakcer]

Originally Posted by StellarKnight

Is it possible for you to not completely thread**** with every goddamn post you make?

I hope to Jesus you're not this much of a whiny ***** in real life.

Lol how am I the whiny one when the guy I responded to says "go away" like a little girl.

[quakcer]

Originally Posted by Space Pope

You are the one who cannot figure out that an entire subforum is trolling him.

You're giving yourself too much credit, you can't claim you're trolling to excuse your stupidity.