Copyright Reform Poll

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

No, I just wanted to bump the thread so that people who check in less frequently get to see it.

And I'll agree that your suggestion is correct, so long as it's the same as my notion, which is clearly the best.

Only as long as the two of you agree with my One True Way.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by MarjaE

It doesn't have as many problems as life. But it still interferes with research. And it means people who grow up with a story can't necessarily share their take on the story. See the licensing issues around Star Wars and Middle Earth role-playing games. A shorter interval, 20 years or less, could reduce those issues.

P.S. And for derivative works after that period, a rule that the authors of the original works can re-use characters, ideas, etc. from any derivative works might also help.

Let's say you are 30 years old. You've written 3 books. You have a wife and two kids. You die for whatever reason. Your books will help bring income to the family (hopefully).

I'm saying life+50 because of those that die early and have a family. also, by saying 50, we get free access to the mouse.

However, I'll drop that to 40 with stipulations. It has be under copyright when the author dies. And there will need to be copyright renewals every 20 years. So if the author wants, he/she can let the copyright lapse.

[issybird]

Fixed length and done. Level playing field as every work gets the same treatment. That way the dead author’s family (cue violins) gets the same term as they would have if she were still alive and kicking, but there’s also no benefit to a long life other than the living of it. Society’s giving up too much of its own stake in the matter when copyrights can be extended forever or when it lasts well past the life of a centenarian.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by issybird

Fixed length and done. Level playing field as every work gets the same treatment. That way the dead author’s family (cue violins) gets the same term as they would have if she were still alive and kicking, but there’s also no benefit to a long life other than the living of it. Society’s giving up too much of its own stake in the matter when copyrights can be extended forever or when it lasts well past the life of a centenarian.

In a perfect world, I totally agree with you. I'm just looking for some way to buy off the mega million properties such as Harry Potter and LOTR.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

In a perfect world, I totally agree with you. I'm just looking for some way to buy off the mega million properties such as Harry Potter and LOTR.

And the mouse that manages to get the length of copyright increased as it gets close to going public domain.

[doubleshuffle]

Originally Posted by issybird

Fixed length and done. Level playing field as every work gets the same treatment. That way the dead author’s family (cue violins) gets the same term as they would have if she were still alive and kicking, but there’s also no benefit to a long life other than the living of it. Society’s giving up too much of its own stake in the matter when copyrights can be extended forever or when it lasts well past the life of a centenarian.

Good points. Might get me to change my vote. How long should that fixed length be though?

[sun surfer]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

If you like, I can pound the table some more about how my suggestion is the one and only true way.

Just leave me my own spot to pound!

[Quoth]

I do think some people have made cogent arguments* and I now have two views:
1) What I think is slightly possible and desirable.
2) What I think is better, but is never ever going to happen, I mean not even if I'm World Dictators. Even World Dictators can't make everything the way they'd like.

(* is that the right word?)

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Quoth

I do think some people have made cogent arguments* and I now have two views:
1) What I think is slightly possible and desirable.
2) What I think is better, but is never ever going to happen, I mean not even if I'm World Dictators. Even World Dictators can't make everything the way they'd like.

(* is that the right word?)

This poll is asking your opinion about b).

[Quoth]

I don't see the "Make Quoth World Dictator to solve Copyright and other issues" option?

It would be Democratic, A Parliament of Rooks. Any suggestion of a Mob or Murder of Crows handing out summary justice are lies by the Magpies. And Owls.

[crossi]

Lifetime plus 25ys max. But requiring a yearly fee. Why should they expect the public to enforce something for their benefit without paying for it. Bunch of freeloaders. I pay city taxes for my fire, police and road maintenance. Why should they get something for free?

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by crossi

Lifetime plus 25ys max. But requiring a yearly fee. Why should they expect the public to enforce something for their benefit without paying for it. Bunch of freeloaders. I pay city taxes for my fire, police and road maintenance. Why should they get something for free?

How much do you think the yearly fee should be?

[haertig]

You forgot the one option that might be palatable to politicians, thus having a chance of being made into law: "Fixed period (2 or 3 days max), then all proceeds go to the government indefinitely" Finally, an option politicians could get behind!

But my vote went for "Fixed period, extendable a limited number of times". Actually, I wanted "Fixed period, extendable under a very limited number of circumstances after petition from a still-living author", but that choice wasn't available.

My reasons were that public agencies should not have to keep track of who's still living, who's family is being supported, how many times something has been extended, etc. Especially when this tracking could span a timeframe well over 100 years (when you talk about "lifetime plus whatever") Luckily, Einstein didn't copyright "E=mc2" or our world would not be where it is today. I think copyrights and patents are more abusive than helpful these days, patents much more so. Copyrights are generally benign, except when they last so ridiculously long.

[Solitaire1]

For simplicity I support 100 full years from the year of first publication (the year of publication is Year 0 and it doesn't matter if it was published on 1 January or 31 December in that year), and it can not be renewed. This would give the artist and their heirs plenty of time to profit from the publication, and would make it easy to determine when the copyright on a publication expires.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by Solitaire1

For simplicity I support 100 full years from the year of first publication (the year of publication is Year 0 and it doesn't matter if it was published on 1 January or 31 December in that year), and it can not be renewed. This would give the artist and their heirs plenty of time to profit from the publication, and would make it easy to determine when the copyright on a publication expires.

Yes, I think something to this effect would be good. It's simple - no need for anyone to go hunting around for author(s) and working out who died. My only stipulation is that it must be long enough to see out the life span of the author(s) - so they can choose, if they want, to be long dead before having to see what tortuous things get done with the work after it enters the public domain, so maybe 120 years. (Obviously it's a stipulation that is not going to work if the medical profession discover the fountain of youth.)