[Jaime_Astorga]

Originally Posted by carld

Writing is work, for which the authors deserve to be paid, unless you want to return to the days when the only things published were royal edicts, religious tracts, and political manifestos.

What about the times, such as in ancient Greece, where important philosophical works and mathematical treatises were written? And both of our examples date to times when few people knew how to read and write! If the abundant fanfic communities of the internet show something, it is that when millions of people have the ability to write, several thousands will do it without the need of monetary compensation. All that is needed is some sort of filter to keep Sturgeon's Law in check.

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

Available?....... You don't think there'd be a sea of people scanning and placing in the public domain more works from pre-1953 than are available commercially today.....

Have you ever looked at Project Gutenberg, (or here for that matter)?

Agreed completely. It irks me when people think monetary incentives are the only way to get things done; volunteer communities would spring up and rally to the cause as surely as the sun will rise tomorrow.