Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoffC
First of all define exactly why there is a perceived need for DRM....
...is it to stop piracy....
...is it to ensure copyright relates back to the author....
...is it a mechanism whereby a user is 'locked' in....
The first 2 I agree with, the last is my only concern and that becomes an issue of 'restriction of personal rights'.
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There will be piracy. there will be people who just want to take things because they can. I feel very strongly that that is a minute unmber of people. There is also piracy now, because people feel frustrated at therestrictions of DRM schema. Make the restrictions go away, and those people will eventually come to the light side.
Yes, copyright goes to the author. Absolutely. In fact, we are having to reassess the whole copyright schema, as we go along here. I would be all for giving The Disney Corporation eternal copyright for Micky Mouse and all direct creations of Walt Disney if they would just get out of the lobbying for every copyright to last forever. that's another discussion, however.
The point I'm trying to make is exactly what you're saying here in your third bullet. "Lock in" is ancient. You buy a pbook and you are "locked in" to that copy. ebooks are much slipprier. Copying and selling a pbook with a copy machine becomes very obious very fast that it is a violation. Smae with POD copiers that can make them look like the real thing. But a bunch of electropotentials in the aether is something entirely different.