Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg
Here is the book I am now reading:
http://www.amazon.com/Personal-Histo.../dp/0395081866
It won the 1935 National Book Award in the biography category.
The author died in 1975.
Please explain how this being under copyright is encouraging living authors to produce great works. |
Clearly these older works have value. This is corroborated by Ralph Sir Edward's comment that corporations are making money off of the works. There are existing laws pertaining to selling commodities for less than their value. The function of these laws is to protect the value of products. Unfortuantely, they do not extend to intellectual property. If many works that are currently copyright became freely available, then it would reduce the value of all of the works, including new ones and ones that have not yet been created. The Personal History of Vincent Sheean being copyright encourages living authors to produce great works, as they do not have to compete with it being available at no cost.
@Quantum Iguana. With regards to the symphony orchestras, their economy has changed based on works being freely available. They cannot justify spending money on a work, when other works cost nothing.
Extending copyright well beyond the authors lifetime offers incentives based on their heirs and based on their philosophy. I am not the beneficiary of any such copyrights. I do feel that it is important that works that are of value are not freely available in a capitalist economy.