Re: [Fsfe-uk] Young Greens moving on FS

[Mark Preston]

Martin Wheeler wrote:

> On Tue, 23 Nov 2004, Mark Preston wrote:
>
> > A lot of people who support the use of free software would also like 
> > to see copyright laws abolished
>
>
> Could you please quote chapter and verse of your source for that?

Hello Martin,
Well, the FreeNet project which publishes under the Gnu GPL and has had 
over 2 million downloads would be a good place to start. Some people 
might say that FreeNet is just a ruse to get away with publishing, 
sharing and downloading files that most people would otherwise stop for 
reasons of censorship, indecency or copyright violations, but I'm sure 
that some participants actually agree with the philosophy behind freenet.
see
http://freenetproject.org/index.php?page=philosophy

Free software usage and support figures are notoriously difficult to 
obtain accurately.

> It *certainly* doesn't apply to me -- and I'm a ferocious proponent of 
> free software.  Indeed, as far as I'm concerned, free software is 
> dependent on the very existence of copyright.
Well you're lucky then because copyright in one form or another is 
likely to be around for a very long time.

> Just //where// is this ridiculous idea that free software types are 
> anti-copyright coming from?

The discussion amongst AFFS members since my postings last night shows 
that free software proponents come from a fairly broad chuch with 
respect to their attitudes to copyright.

> Is this a total miscomprehension of what free software is all about?

I like to think I have a reasonable understanding of matters relating to 
free software.

> Or just totally muddled thinking, and thoughtless bandwagon-joining?

Well if you think copyright laws are worth preserving in preference to 
the ability to post things anonymously onto the internet, and to avoid 
censorship of views that are not shall we say "mainstream".

> Whatever the case, it shpould be stomped on RIGHT NOW.  

What about freedom of speech?

> Free software //depends// on the existence of copyright law.  OK?

No. Not OK.

> The blatant abuse and corruption of copyright law for the purposes of 
> protecting corporate greed and maintaining a specific model of 
> consumerism is a very different affair.

I agree that in the real world the best that can be hoped for is 
reasonable copyright laws, but whatever these may be they will still 
mean that electronic communications all have to be monitored to ensure 
compliance. Not a desirable state of affairs in my view.
Regards,
Mark