Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward
What category does copyright fall in? Clearly the type that government ownership records are kept in. Which makes it reasonable to tax.
In addition, it tends to deprive the copyright holder the tendency extend copyright forever. It changes the equation from holding onto something that maybe, someday, be worth something of value, because the cost of holding it is zero, to determining whether or not it is worth the ongoing cost to maintain the copyright. A self correcting solution to keep copyright as a wasting asset. . .
|
This is one of those rare occasions where I agree with you - I think it would be reasonable to not only reduce the maximum copyright length, but also to introduce a requirement to renew copyright after a certain length of time in order to keep it.
However, given that the Berne convention explicitly prohibit a requirement to register works for copyright, I don't see any prospect of a renewal requirement being introduced anywhere.
The best we can hope for is a return to the Berne convention minimum of life+50.
[Edit: I just saw your idea of requiring registration for copyright length > life+50. I'd prefer to just see copyright length reduced to the Berne minimum.]