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The problem with trademark is that it is used as a loophole around copyright. If the copyright for Steamboat Willie expires, people will be able to freely distribute copies of Steamboat Willie, but due to trademark, they will not be able to make new Mickey Mouse cartoons.
I don't agree with ending trademark at the death of the author. Ulysses Grant wrote his memoirs near the end of his life to care for his family. If his copyright expired at his death, it would been of no value to his family, so he probably wouldn't have written it. Thus, copyright ending at the death of the author would have deprived us of this book.
There is a tremendous irony in companies that have made a fortune from the public domain continually pushing to have the copyright period extended.
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