[CS-FSLUG] Response to a Libre Software Skeptic

[Marco Tedaldi]

On 15.01.2012 22:46, Ed Hurst wrote:
> On Sun, 15 Jan 2012, Don Parris wrote:
> 
> 
>>> The system is broken but the concept is necessary.
>>>
>> Just to be clear, I recognize that both, copyrights and patents, were
>> designed to protect *authors* and *designers*, not publishers and
>> manufacturers. I also recognize that both actually were (originally)
>> designed to encourage commerce by providing a *limited* monopoly and
>> are thus good things. I nevertheless oppose software patents in any
>> case. I also oppose the extended length of copyrights under which we
>> currently live. Lessig pointed out in Free Culture that there was
>> always a balance to our copyright and patent laws until recently.
> 
> Key statement: "I nevertheless oppose software patents in any case."
> 
> Something to consider: The fundamental difference between meat space and
> virtual space is too often ignored by those who defend the current
> system. When you put anything into a digital format, there simply is no
> way to protect it for long.
> 
Right. But the same is true for ideas.

> I can limit access to physical goods, but I cannot limit access to
> ideas.

And ideas can't be stolen! Because stealing always means, that the
original holder does not have the stolen good anymore...

> All the more so in a digital universe.

Same as with ideas... copying is not stealing. So putting this two in
the same class is utterly wrong. (I'm not saying, that violating license
terms is ok because of this!)

> Until we make our
> discussions include this fundamental fact, there really is no common
> ground on which to discuss anything. I would suggest to ignore this
> difference is simply a cases of intellectual dishonesty. This is the key
> injustice in the current attempts, and they will eventually fail.
> 
I just hope, that this will be sooner than later!


> That would be at about the same time Western Civilization itself comes
> apart, and for many of the same reasons.

Because some of the powerful ones can't get enough..
There are too many making insane amounts of money without adding any
kind of value. If people are gaining money without producing value there
are other people creating value and not getting paid (enough) for it.

> I am utterly convinced this is
> God's hand at work, and pretty sure it has already begun. In other
> words, God Himself does not support the current regime of IP and patent
> law, that the concept itself is broken, not merely the system.
> 
It is the people who are broken. If people were not broken, there would
be no need for such a system. But because the people are broken, there
is a feeling, that we need such a system. But broken people can only
produce broken systems.

Monopolies may seem a good thing on first glance. But thanks to human
nature, they will always be misused...

best regards

Marco