Re: FSF : lackeys of their corporate masters

[David Kastrup]

Stefaan A Eeckels <tengo@DELETEMEecc.lu> writes:

> The idea behind copyrights and patents (protected trademarks are
> something different) is to make it worthwhile to produce "goods"
> that can be reproduced at low cost. If you cannot get a reasonable
> compensation for producing a book, an opera, or a computer program
> because of unbridled copying, then you will probably decide you need
> a day job to support you (like sitting at the till in a Pick'n Pay
> :-). It is fairly obvious that today, the system is out of kilter,
> but it's equally obvious that the availability of cheap reproduction
> makes it impossible to produce certain (maybe desirable)
> reproducible goods.

The availability of cheap reproduction makes it impossible to produce
desirable reproducible goods?

That is completely and utter bullshit.  The availability of cheap
reproduction does not _replace_ the initial production of a
reproducible good.  Before something can be reproduced, it has to
exist in the first place.

Take a look at the Bible as an example of a text basically in the
Public Domain.  The total revenue is insignificant as compared to
other much more short-lived publications.  You get the best imaginable
quality of print, editing and binding for very low prices.  Bible
publishing is a challenging business: you have to be good to be
competitive.

It is the most widely printed work in the world.  Specialists
preparing new editions are paid well.  Because there is a demand for
their work to be done in the first place.

Never mind that it gets copied: it has to be _done_ before it can be
copied.

> Humans love to see the world in black and white.

That's why "Casablanca" was such a success.

-- 
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum