Re: Re: will everyone concerned about copyright please read this

On 21/09/2011 15:44, David Scholes wrote:
> On 21 Sep 2011, at 11:03, joseph harris wrote:
>
>    
>> The clarity now of your two points make discussion easier. I agree with
>> Dan there is a straight logic for perpetual copyright based on property
>> concepts; but I also accept your point *in some cases* it would probably
>> mean tracking problems.
>>      
> Reading all your arguments over copyright I am reminded of Charles Dickens who, whilst protected in GB found the US problematic. His serialised works (most of them) were being produced into books in the US before his own printers in England were able to produce their own copies (and without any reference to, let alone payment etc to the author).  Now, today, there is a problem with regards to copyright where a work is first published in another country. The USA has a lot to answer for when it comes to other people's copyright. Yet now we are expected to be sympathetic to all those current day American writers, most of whom seem to be writing science fiction, a genre that rarely interests me, and who seem to think that their, mostly poor attempts, should keep them and their descendants in
  perpetual luxury.
>    

Mostly science fiction? You should get out more. The range of new works 
is far greater than before the technology made self publication 
possible. And, alas, copyright is no guarantee of writing skill; that 
comes with practice and the encouragement of sympathetic audiences.

> In the case that you suggest, if the IP were considered like property, then also like property, it should be taxed on the owners death. In which case, like land, it would be considered to have a market value even if not being used.  And if not being used then it should be considered to be worth a fixed sum, say $1mill.

Hmm. Interesting; you must have a job as a tax gatherer. Authors would 
love to create properties worth millions, in any currency. The sad truth 
is it is rare that such lifetime values match a piece of writing.

> Consequently, such death duties would make most IP to be more of a liability than an asset and thus remove the 70 years after the death of the author for copyright to run. How many authors work is still worth publishing after their death? Indeed, how many author's work is worth publishing before their death.
>    

Well, unless there is a totally unreasonable tax regime, it is normal 
for there to be a fairly large tax-free tranche in death duties; the 
true  average value of copyrights on the authors' deaths are hardly 
likely to embarrass heirs or  their allowances.

> I think, as a reader, I have had enough of this group of, what seems to me to be, rather selfish people. I thought to have read of books, not of greed.
>
> David
Hmm. Now you read like the strike-breakers of old. Asking for a fair 
return for one's efforts is selfish, is it? Or is the real selfishness 
with those who argue they should not have to pay for culture?

Joseph Harris




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