🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Nov18.225743.12386@clarinet.com> brad@clarinet.com (Brad Templeton) writes:
>
>Many people misunderstand copyright as strictly the right to sell a work.
>It is not.  It is the right to control what is done with your creation.
>The most obvious benefit of this control is the right to charge money for
>granting permission to copy, but it is not the entirety of it.
>
   I think that if they aren't being hurt, that most creators would be happy
that others are making good use of thier works. At least works that they
have exposed to the public. Since I think a.b.p.e is harmless, I think most
creators wouldn't object to it. I don't think I would.

>
>This argued, even the argument that this does not hurt the creators does not
>hold water.  Penthouse has recently started an online service.

   This makes me worry. I don't want the commercial world to conflict with
the usenet world.  This online service will be the first big direct conflict.
Of course, there is no doubt that Penthouse will win. And they will need to
take action. I can't imagine an online service being really profitable with
a.b.p.e to redistribute the product to 80% of your potential market. (Remember
that Event Horizons was stealing it's raw material).
   So if they are serious about the online service, a.b.p.e will eventually
be shut down.
   Alt.sex.pictures began an experiment in freedom of information. It was a
tremendous success. I have argued that it never was harmful. As a collection
of individuals scanning and posting a few favorite pictures, it was small
potatoes. I think the current controversy revolves around the fact that even
though the character hasn't changed the size has grown with the number of
users. Even though a.b.p.e is still  an unorganized group of individuals, it
is big by any measure.
   Without harm, freedom should rule. If online services had existed before
usenet, I would have had no problem with opposing a.s.p.  But since a.s.p
came first, it will be a real loss of freedom if new industries kill it. It
will be a great pity, I think, if the desire to make money restricts our 
ability to use the net for whatever the users want it for.

DanZ
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