www/philosophy philosophy.html essays-and-artic...

[Rob Myers]

CVSROOT:        /web/www
Module name:    www
Changes by:     Rob Myers <robmyers>    10/02/23 19:28:55

Modified files:
        philosophy     : philosophy.html essays-and-articles.html 
Added files:
        philosophy     : public-domain-manifesto.html 

Log message:
        Add rms article on the Public Domain Manifesto. RT 554379

CVSWeb URLs:
http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/www/philosophy/philosophy.html?cvsroot=www&r1=1.315&r2=1.316
http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/www/philosophy/essays-and-articles.html?cvsroot=www&r1=1.6&r2=1.7
http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/www/philosophy/public-domain-manifesto.html?cvsroot=www&rev=1.1

Patches:
Index: philosophy.html
===================================================================
RCS file: /web/www/www/philosophy/philosophy.html,v
retrieving revision 1.315
retrieving revision 1.316
diff -u -b -r1.315 -r1.316
--- philosophy.html     11 Jan 2010 14:57:43 -0000      1.315
+++ philosophy.html     23 Feb 2010 19:28:50 -0000      1.316
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 <p>Hot off the presses, here are the latest published articles on free
 software and the GNU project.</p>
 <ul>
+  <li><a href="/philosophy/public-domain-manifesto.html">Why I Will Not Sign
+      the Public Domain Manifesto</a></li>
   <li><a href="/philosophy/selling-exceptions.html">On Selling
   Exceptions to the GNU GPL</a></li>
   <li><a href="/philosophy/lest-codeplex-perplex.html">Lest CodePlex
@@ -24,8 +26,6 @@
     Software Patents</a></li>
   <li> <a href="/philosophy/digital-inclusion-in-freedom.html">Is Digital
     Inclusion A Good Thing? How Can We Make Sure It Is?</a></li>
-  <li><a href="/philosophy/pirate-party.html">How the Swedish Pirate Party 
-    Platform Backfires on Free Software</a></li>
 </ul>
 
 <h3 id="aboutfs">About Free Software</h3>
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@
 <p>
 Updated:
 <!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2010/01/11 14:57:43 $
+$Date: 2010/02/23 19:28:50 $
 <!-- timestamp end -->
 </p>
 </div>

Index: essays-and-articles.html
===================================================================
RCS file: /web/www/www/philosophy/essays-and-articles.html,v
retrieving revision 1.6
retrieving revision 1.7
diff -u -b -r1.6 -r1.7
--- essays-and-articles.html    11 Jan 2010 14:57:43 -0000      1.6
+++ essays-and-articles.html    23 Feb 2010 19:28:50 -0000      1.7
@@ -131,6 +131,9 @@
 
 <h4>Copyright</h4>
 <ul>
+  <li><a href="/philosophy/public-domain-manifesto.html">Why I Will Not Sign
+      the Public Domain Manifesto</a></li>
+
   <li><a href="/philosophy/pirate-party.html">How the Swedish Pirate Party 
   Platform Backfires on Free Software</a></li>
 
@@ -454,7 +457,7 @@
 <p>
 Updated:
 <!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2010/01/11 14:57:43 $
+$Date: 2010/02/23 19:28:50 $
 <!-- timestamp end -->
 </p>
 </div>

Index: public-domain-manifesto.html
===================================================================
RCS file: public-domain-manifesto.html
diff -N public-domain-manifesto.html
--- /dev/null   1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 -0000
+++ public-domain-manifesto.html        23 Feb 2010 19:28:50 -0000      1.1
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+<!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" -->
+<title>Why I Will Not Sign the Public Domain Manifesto</title>
+<link rel="canonical" 
href="http://www.fsf.org/blogs/rms/public-domain-manifesto"; />
+<!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" -->
+
+<h2>Why I Will Not Sign the Public Domain Manifesto</h2>
+
+<p>by <a href="http://www.stallman.org/";>Richard M. Stallman</a></p>
+
+<p>The Public Domain Manifesto
+(<a 
href="http://www.publicdomainmanifesto.org/node/8";>http://www.publicdomainmanifesto.org/node/8</a>)
 has its heart in the
+right place as it objects to some of the unjust extensions of
+copyright power, so I wish I could support it.  However, it falls far
+short of what is needed.</p> 
+ 
+<p>Some flaws are at the level of implicit assumptions.  The manifesto
+frequently uses <a 
href="http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html";>propaganda terms</a> 
of the copyright industry, such as
+<a 
href="http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html#Protection";>"copyright 
protection".</a> These terms were chosen to lead people to
+sympathize with the copyright industry and its demands for power.</p> 
+ 
+<p>The manifesto and its signatories use the term "intellectual
+property", which confuses the issue of copyright by lumping it
+together with a dozen other laws that have nothing significant in
+common.  (See <a 
href="http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/not-ipr.html";>http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/not-ipr.html</a>
 for more
+explanation about this point.)  Ironically it uses the term first in a
+sentence which points out that this manifesto is concerned only with
+copyright law, not with those other laws.  That is with good reason:
+the other laws are not relevant to copying and using published works.
+If we seek to teach the public to distinguish between these laws, we
+should avoid setting an example which spuriously lumps them together.</p> 
+ 
+<p>General Principle 2 repeats the common error that copyright should
+balance the public interest with "protecting and rewarding the
+author".  This error interferes with proper judgment of any copyright
+policy question, since that should be based on the public interest.
+<a 
href="http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/misinterpreting-copyright.html";>http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/misinterpreting-copyright.html</a>
 explains
+this error and how to avoid it.</p> 
+ 
+<p>It would be difficult to stand aside from a campaign for the right
+goals merely because it was written with unclear words.  However, the
+manifesto falls far short in its specific goals too.  It is not that I
+oppose them.  Any one of its demands, individually, would be a step
+forward, even though the wording of some of them discourages me from
+signing my name to them.</p> 
+ 
+<p>Rather the problem is that it fails to ask for the most important
+points.  I cannot say, "This manifesto is what I stand for."  I cannot
+say, "I support what's in this manifesto," unless I can add, equally
+visibly, "But it fails to mention the most important points of all."</p> 
+ 
+<p>General Principle 5 opposes contracts that restrict use of copies of
+public domain works.  But where we most need to oppose such contracts
+is where they apply to works that are still copyrighted (this is how
+Amazon tries to claim that you don't own the e-book that you bought).
+Likewise, General Principle 5 condemns DRM, but only when it applies
+to a public domain work.  In effect, it legitimizes most real DRM by
+omitting it from criticism.</p> 
+ 
+<p>I've saved the biggest omission for last.  General Recommendation 9
+calls for allowing "personal copying" of copyrighted works.  Since it
+omits the issue of the freedom to share copies of published works with
+others, it fails to address the nastiest aspect of copyright: the
+vicious <a 
href="http://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/war-on-sharing-riaa-lawsuits";>War on 
Sharing</a> that the entertainment companies are now
+waging.</p> 
+ 
+<p>The demands and recommendations of the Public Domain Manifesto would
+be a step forward.  It may do some good if it inspires people who have
+accepted the industry position to begin to doubt it.  However, if we 
+adopt this manifesto as our goal, it will distract us from what we
+really need to fight for.</p> 
+ 
+<p>The Public Domain Manifesto tries to defend our freedom within the walled
+garden of the public domain, but abandons that freedom outside it.
+This is not enough.</p> 
+ 
+<p>I ask the authors of the Public Domain Manifesto, and the public, to
+please join me in demanding the freedom to noncommercially share
+copies of all published works. Also please join
+ 
+<a href="http://defectivebydesign.org";>DefectiveByDesign.org</a> and help our
+fight against DRM wherever it may be found.</p> 
+ 
+</div>
+<!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" -->
+
+<div id="footer">
+
+<p>
+Please send FSF &amp; GNU inquiries to
+<a href="mailto:address@hidden";>&lt;address@hidden&gt;</a>.
+There are also <a href="/contact/">other ways to contact</a>
+the FSF.
+<br />
+Please send broken links and other corrections or suggestions to
+<a href="mailto:address@hidden";>&lt;address@hidden&gt;</a>.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Please see the
+<a href="/server/standards/README.translations.html">Translations
+README</a> for information on coordinating and submitting
+translations of this article.
+</p>
+
+<p>Copyright &copy; 2010 Richard Stallman</p>
+
+<p>This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-No
+Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. To view a copy of this
+license,
+visit <a 
href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/us/";>http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/us/</a>
+or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300,
+San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.</p>
+
+<p>Updated:
+<!-- timestamp start -->
+$Date: 2010/02/23 19:28:50 $
+<!-- timestamp end -->
+</p>
+</div>
+
+<div id="translations">
+<h4>Translations of this page</h4>
+
+<!-- Please keep this list alphabetical by language code.
+     Comment what the language is for each type, i.e. de is German.
+     Write the language name in its own language (Deutsch) in the text.
+     If you add a new language here, please
+     advise address@hidden and add it to
+      - /home/www/html/server/standards/README.translations.html
+      - one of the lists under the section "Translations Underway"
+      - if there is a translation team, you also have to add an alias
+      to mail.gnu.org:/com/mailer/aliases
+     Please also check you have the language code right; see:
+     http://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/php/code_list.php
+     If the 2-letter ISO 639-1 code is not available,
+     use the 3-letter ISO 639-2.
+     Please use W3C normative character entities. -->
+
+<ul class="translations-list">
+<!-- English -->
+<li><a 
href="/philosophy/public-domain-manifesto.html">English</a>&nbsp;[en]</li>
+</ul>
+</div>
+</div>
+</body>
+</html>