Re: [dvd-discuss] [Off-topic] Eldred v. Ashcroft.

[Jeremy Erwin <jerwin(at)ponymail.com>]

On Tuesday, August 6, 2002, at 09:44  PM, microlenz@earthlink.net wrote:

> Check out the link there
>
> http://llr.lls.edu/
>
> Loyala is putting together a synmposium but one strikes my eye and 
> offends it
>
> The Mythology Of The Public Domain:
>     Exploring The Myths Behind Attacks On The
>     Duration Of Copyright Protection
>
>     Scott M. Martin
>
It appears to be mostly a collection of ad hominum attacks, deriding the 
ideas of those opposed to CTEA (and metastases) as myths. He even goes 
so far as to helpfully define "myth" (using the intellectual property of 
one Merriam Webster)-- ah, academic laziness.

"Why creates something new if you can reprint or reuse something which 
already exists? Why invest in untested new works if you can instead 
distribute royalty-free existing works. The fact that creators of new 
works cannot merely reuse the the expression contained in the 
copyrighted work of others without permission forces them to be 
creative.."

Such a pleasant view of the relationship of the state to its authors. 
Lazy authorial scum. I'll get a decent days work out of you if I have to 
take it out of your hide. Now create.

(The cynic might argue that the fact that the fact that public domain 
works are freely available encourages rival publishers to distinguish 
their editions with added material, more readable typefaces, or more 
affordable prices. but alas, the cynic cowers in fear of being called a 
mythologist.)
Jeremy Erwing