Re: [dvd-discuss] Public Domain Enhancement Bill

[Jeme A Brelin <jeme(at)brelin.net>]

On Fri, 27 Jun 2003 microlenz@earthlink.net wrote:
> On 27 Jun 2003 at 9:54, Jeme A Brelin wrote:
> > To state more directly what Richard put very clearly and subtley:  Disney
> > may, at some point, own 90% of COPYRIGHTED material, but that is always an
> > insignificant percentage of COPYRIGHTABLE material.
>
> Sure, every email, the design on every cereal box or label on a tin can
> is copyrightable so Disney can own 90% of the copyrights on novels and
> short stories but that's not a problem because they don't own 90% of the
> copyrightable material?

Disney might (speculatively) control 90% of the existing copyrights on
novels, short stories and movies (or whatver), but that's an insignificant
percentage of the novels, short stories, and movies that can possibly be
copyrighted.  In other words, creative potential is always deemed to be in
competition with previously creative work and hence there can never be a
monopoly.

That's how the law's going to see it, mind.

J.
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     Jeme A Brelin
    jeme@brelin.net
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