Sorry but the vid is crap and the speaker sounds like an idiot. He certainly does not understand what we are aiming for in capitalism anyway. He may be quite versed but as he did say he was a patent lawyer and did bring up a few good points but not many. As far as copyrights go, yes they are too long and current IP law is absolute bullshit. I cannot believe that so many here are buying into the corporatist crap that is handed to us. This is a fight that is raging today between the free exchange of ideas and the hording of them that NEEDS to be won by the consumer or I fear there will be extreme ramifications.
First, let me say that copyright, IP law and the ownership of what you create MUST exist. There was a time when patents and copyrights made since but the laws have been twisted by lawmakers that have NO clue how technology actually works. You cannot have an indefinite copyright. The concept that you came up with it so no one else should be able to sell it EVER is crap. Fact remains, unlike property, goods and positions that you may pass down to your airs IP is EVERLASTING. It cannot break or degrade. It is not limited to a specific scope as a property is limited to the property itself. It affects ALL people whereas your possessions affect NOBODY. You miss the point that your copyright affects MY right to build and innovate and therefore should not be an indefinite term. There is obviously the need to extend copyright or any IP IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY INNOVATING with it. Mickey mouse is a good example that was brought up earlier. Disney is still quite active in innovating and progressing the use of that character and as such should continue to have full rights over it. Should Disney cease to use Mickey Mouse or cease innovating the character further then Disney should lose the sole right over that IP so that another can come in to do it. You need to realize that IP and copyright were created for the sole purpose of ensuring innovation and the forward movement of ideas as who would create if their creations were simply stolen. Obstinately long copyright simply stifles innovation. If you are not actively using a piece of IP, someone else should be able to pick it up and work from it without you STEALING their hard work simply because you provided a foundation that you have ALREADY reaped the benefits from. I believe that a 10 or 15 year copyright and patent is appropriate with extensions as needed. There are some good examples of where this has gone awry in that vid where people STOLE profits from those that made a work based on a world created by another. You should be able to pass on your IP, but the time that you own it as well as the time your heir owns it should be limited. This also brings me to the DCMA. The biggest issue I have with this crap piece of paper is that it redefines the concept of ownership. While you are sitting here defending the copyright holders rights you have forgotten they are taking yours. You are not allowed to edit IP that you purchased!!
WHAT!!! I OWN THE DAMN THING!!!
Does not matter, you don't truly own it. It is illegal to bypass copyright protections, make copies to protect you belongings or change a work in a way that is more pleasing to you because you simply do not own the item that you just bought. That is insane. There is a lot more to go into but I am tired at the moment. Suffice to say IP needs an overhaul by people that ACTUALLY understand technology and its ramifications.
PS - I forgot to mention the craptastic abuse companies are using in the patent and copyright system now. Companies now actively obtain patents for the sole purpose of blocking another company from INNOVATING A COMPETITIVE PRODUCT. They did not come up with an idea, develop a product or even plan on EVER developing one. They simply obtain a patent that blocks another from making an innovation. An example of this is a recent Microsoft patent on THE PAGE DOWN FUNCTION. The patent is on 'a type of function' that would cause the page down to go to the same spot on the next page. NO FUNCTION IS GIVEN. In other words THEY DEVELOPED NOTHING AND THEN PATENTED THAT NOTHING IN ORDER TO STOP SOMEONE ELSE FROM DOING IT. That should be downright illegal and is an affront to spirit of copyright and patents. It is getting harder for a person to create because large companies own the patents and copyrights for EVERYTHING and that is plain wrong. Those are to protect the small guy, NOT screw him over. It is also becoming cost prohibitive to file a patent or copyright for the same reason. All of this flies in the face of what it is supposed to accomplish.
