Quote:
Originally Posted by exaltedwombat
If the material isn't the author's property, it sure as hell isn't YOURS! If there's profit to be had from it, how can you argue that YOU should make it?
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Copyright is to ensure that some of the profit from copying goes to the creator for long enough that they are encouraged to create more things.
When copyright expires, any profit remaining to be had from the item can be made by anyone. But the fact that anyone can profit from it reduces the potential for profit considerably, while simultaneously making the item more available. This is the benefit to everyone that makes up for everyone enforcing copyright.
An unlimited copyright imposes a significant burden on everyone for no return.
Every extension to copyright has imposed a significant burden on everyone, with no apparent return at all, even for the creators. (An author will not be paid more for a life+70 copyright than for a life+50 copyright, or even a 56-year copyright.)