[gmw]

Originally Posted by usuallee

Nice try. You didn't ask but rather assumed, in a very accusatory manner. Now you're trying to backtrack.

Your quote: "So you feel entitled to have anything older than 40(?) years for free?" What I wrote was perfectly clear, and there was nothing in what I wrote that in any way hinted that I personally feel that way. So I have no idea why you would feel the need to ask such a pejorative question. It almost seems like you were looking for any excuse to pick a fight and bully someone.

Just do me a favor and talk to me nicely and avoid putting words in my mouth and making wild unfounded assumptions. If you can manage that, gmw, you and I will be just fine.

No, no backtracking was necessary. It was a question, you acknowledge that yourself above ("ask such a pejorative question").

The question, at the time it was asked, was not unfounded. It was in response to this:

Originally Posted by usuallee

[...]However, this excessive copyright terms nonsense is the one aspect of the debate that makes me waver, for older stuff. I guess I wouldn't feel too badly about the piracy of Beatles or The Who albums, William Faulkner novels, or old Disney movies at this point.

I still see no reason why I shouldn't accept this as a "hint" that you might feel the same way as those committing the piracy you "wouldn't feel too badly about". Why wouldn't you feel bad about it unless you personally felt there was some justification for it? Hence the question.

You have subsequently tried to explain yourself with:

Originally Posted by usuallee

Ummm, did I say that? No, I clearly did not. I merely indicated that I would not necessarily shed any tears if others felt that way about 40+ year old works, particularly if the creators are multi-billionaires and/or have been dead a half century.[...]

Which does little but provide another "hint" that you might personally feel 40 years is long enough for copyright protection. (Note that your qualification "particularly" does not completely exclude non-billionaires, it only suggests that your sympathy level may vary with the wealth and health of the victim.)

It's not actually a difficult question and I fail to see anything all that insulting in it, despite my phrasing. There are people that feel copyright should be a flat period much shorter than 40 years, and they are entitled to have that opinion. There is no particular shame in it.

Perhaps you dislike that the question jumps to the result of the products being obtained for free. Given that the examples your offered are still available, there seems little other reason for suggesting piracy in these cases would be excusable.

To correct any appearance of me putting words in your mouth you only needed to answer the question directly - which, I notice, you still haven't done.