copyright is going too far

Jccarlton · Post by **Jccarlton** » Sun Oct 07, 2012 1:09 am

This is ludicrous:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/your-r ... 2012-10-04
If you like anything that comes from or likely to be made in a foriegn country pass this around

rj40 · Post by **rj40** » Sun Oct 07, 2012 3:02 pm

I wonder what the plaintiffs constitutional argument is specifically? Crazy, but very interesting situation. Ifit is upheld, what part of the U.S. Constitution would need to be amended? It could take years to do that.

But it is ludicrous.

choff · Post by **choff** » Sun Oct 07, 2012 3:34 pm

Same story, when the Can. dollar was worth 70 cents US books would be sold here for a third more. Now that the Can. dollar is on par they still sell books for a third more here. Try buying them in the states and you get whacked by duties crossing the border.

Skipjack · Post by **Skipjack** » Sun Oct 07, 2012 3:59 pm

It is what I have been saying for years. The whole copyright and patent system needs a complete overhaul. Right now copyright are about to make patents obsolete.
All you have to do is claim copyright on the design of something and you are much better off than with a patent. Patents are much stricter (though some argue not strict enough). There is an investigation and they are only valid for 20 years at most.
Copyrights are valid for 70 years after the authors death! Finally it is not restricted anymore to a direct copy of the work. Even designs that are only similar are now getting successfully fought in copyright cases. Take the meanwhile famous red bus copyright case:
http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/ph ... ock-ruling

It is a horrible example of how far this can go, thanks to judges that seem to always side with the copyright claiming party for some reason (probably bought) and lawyer- lawmakers making laws to ensure many, many lawsuits in the future and thus plenty of business for themselves.
What is next? If this keeps going like that nobody will be able to write, draw, paint, photograph, render, compose or design anything anymore without someone taking that person to court, because at some point everything is similar enough to something else that has already been done over 100 years ago!
I think that copyright claims should be exposed to the same scrutiny as patents are and they should be limited to 10 years, with another 10 years extension that would cost the same as extending a patent would. I absolutely cant see how and why a copyright should have an advantage over a patent. It is ludicrous!

Teahive · Post by **Teahive** » Sun Oct 07, 2012 4:08 pm

For example, it could become an incentive for manufacturers to have everything produced overseas because they would be able to control every resale.

At the same time the perceived value of those products would drop unless they shipped with a resale license. Likely not by as much as the average resale price, and of course it would depend a lot on the type of product, but possibly enough to make US-made products significantly more attractive.

Skipjack · Post by **Skipjack** » Sun Oct 07, 2012 4:31 pm

At the same time the perceived value of those products would drop unless they shipped with a resale license. Likely not by as much as the average resale price, and of course it would depend a lot on the type of product, but possibly enough to make US-made products significantly more attractive.

Unfortunately the general public is completely oblivious to all these things. They will buy what is cheapest at the time, because that is what they care about at the time. The resale issue will become a problem later when/if they will have to resale them. But by that time the damage will already be done. Most people are careless like that.

Diogenes · Post by **Diogenes** » Sun Oct 07, 2012 9:34 pm

Skipjack wrote:It is what I have been saying for years. The whole copyright and patent system needs a complete overhaul. Right now copyright are about to make patents obsolete.
All you have to do is claim copyright on the design of something and you are much better off than with a patent. Patents are much stricter (though some argue not strict enough). There is an investigation and they are only valid for 20 years at most.
Copyrights are valid for 70 years after the authors death! Finally it is not restricted anymore to a direct copy of the work. Even designs that are only similar are now getting successfully fought in copyright cases. Take the meanwhile famous red bus copyright case:
http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/ph ... ock-ruling

It is a horrible example of how far this can go, thanks to judges that seem to always side with the copyright claiming party for some reason (probably bought) and lawyer- lawmakers making laws to ensure many, many lawsuits in the future and thus plenty of business for themselves.
What is next? If this keeps going like that nobody will be able to write, draw, paint, photograph, render, compose or design anything anymore without someone taking that person to court, because at some point everything is similar enough to something else that has already been done over 100 years ago!
I think that copyright claims should be exposed to the same scrutiny as patents are and they should be limited to 10 years, with another 10 years extension that would cost the same as extending a patent would. I absolutely cant see how and why a copyright should have an advantage over a patent. It is ludicrous!

First sensible thing i've seen you write in months. As my friend (who occasionally reads this website) has mentioned, Patents are for things that are useful and benefit all mankind, but are only giving twenty years or so, while Copyrights are mostly trivial and insignificant and usually deal with entertainment which has no real impact on anyone's lives, but are given rigid protection for most of a Century.

Copyrights need to be weakened to grant no greater protection than does a patent. When USA began, they were of equal protection. Over the years, copyrighters have attained more and more power till the point now where it is ridiculous.

Skipjack · Post by **Skipjack** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 12:01 am

First sensible thing i've seen you write in months.

You really havent been paying much attention then

Seriously though, I think that this shows that no matter what part of the political spectrum people are in, most dont like this situation and do not understand it either. Unfortunately the will of the people is rarely respected by those that make the laws.

zDarby · Post by **zDarby** » Thu Oct 11, 2012 2:40 am

Everything is a Remix did a good job critiquing copywright law.
There are four parts to the series. If you've nto watched it, do.
http://www.everythingisaremix.info/ever ... ix-part-1/

paperburn1 · Post by **paperburn1** » Fri Oct 12, 2012 1:49 pm

zDarby wrote:Everything is a Remix did a good job critiquing copyright law.
There are four parts to the series. If you've not watched it, do.
http://www.everythingisaremix.info/ever ... ix-part-1/

The odd I noticed was the same people pushing these new laws made there fortune off of the expiration of old copyrighted material. (think Disney)

MSimon · Post by **MSimon** » Fri Oct 12, 2012 8:13 pm

There is of course an all American answer to this problem.

BLACK MARKETS