Thread: How Copyright Makes Books and Music Disappear
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Old 07-09-2013, 08:33 PM   #26
speakingtohe
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephanos View Post
I've never gotten a good answer to the question of why patents expire after 20 years or so but copyrights last for the lifetime of the creator plus 70 years. I suspect it is because people wouldn't tolerate waiting a hundred years or more for a lifesaving drug or device that improves everyone's life to enter the public domain. In other words, the category of creations that is more important gets a shorter protection span.
Could be, or could be arbitrary, or could be that publishing industries in general are not in the same league financially as pharmaceutical companies etc. Maybe public opinion is stronger. Not many have died from not getting a free book.

Helen
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