Quote:
Originally Posted by Iphinome
So your argument is that copyright comes free of charge?
|
The copyright is for having created something (or for having procured the rights from the creator), that is the charge. Why is society better off when books are totally free? We have libraries for those who cannot afford to buy them and they can get cheap second hand copies. Is it not good for society when people like you and me shell out a few bucks per book to support the authors we like? Would you prefer handouts to authors by some government agency that distributes out of a tax fund according to political preferences? Or to have only ad supported books?
When someone owns a great painting it is certainly a valuable part of human culture but it still belongs to the owners. They may donate it to a museum, they may put it on display somewhere -- but it is the owners' decision.
Your arguments only make sense if you don't believe in the concept of private property. And why do you constantly evoke the length of copyright here? I am with you on that, but that should be a separate discussion.