>From: Pat Fallon <pfallon@ptd.net>
>Subject: Re: intellectual theft*
>Date: Sun, 13 Aug 2000 23:02:55 -0400
>
>
>I don't support the ownership of ideas. You can imbed your idea in
>tangible
>physical objects and try to exercise control over that object with
>contracts,
>etc. If we privatize the enforcement of contracts, let those who want to
>"own"
>
>ideas pay for the enforcement of that contract. Market forces will
>probably
>lead the computer programmer to tie a perceived value to the registration
>of
>their program (cheap upgrades, technical support, etc.); rather than paying
>for
>
>a protection agency that tries to police the digital information realm.
>But
>they would be welcome to try to enforce a contract against copying a
>program
>that the purchaser would sign when he buys the product. I just wouldn't
>subscribe to a protection agency that used some of my
>subscription fee to police copyright protection.
>
>Pat Fallon
>pfallon@bigfoot.com
>
So, how about a general contract that you sign in order to do business on
the Web? Nobody forces you to sign. You can do business elsewhere or with
non-signatories on competing e-services if there are any available. But if
you do sign you get access to the majority, let's say, of the world's
commerce without having to post separate bonds with every transaction.
Since you're covered under the general contract, everyone knows that it's
safe to do business with you, but included in that contract is a provision
for the respect of intellectual property, under some form of free-market
copyright or patent provision. Could you have any legitimate objection to
such a system?
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