Quote:
Originally Posted by Kali Yuga
1) On a fundamental level, the Google Settlement does not conform to existing copyright law. Expedience, while a virtue, does not allow the Author's Guild and Google to turn existing laws on its head.
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Actually, this is probably the best reason to support Google's efforts, IMHO.
Current copyright law is insane. Imagine if the drug companies had made the same push to get patents extended to the same length? All the same arguments for excessively long copyrights can be made for excessively long patents - drug companies spend thousands, even millions, of dollars bringing a drug to market - why shouldn't they have permanent control of their inventions? Because it's not in the public interest, is why, and neither is extensive copyright. As others here have argued, the original purpose of copyright was to give an incentive to creators, not to give anyone lifetime (or longer) control of their creations.
And all this insanity just to protect Steamboat Willie.
I'm sure the settlement as it stands could use some tweaking, but the underlying purpose of it - it's good to me.
As for accomplishing the same thing through legislation - I doubt Google could buy as many Senators as Disney can.