Comments on: An Introduction to Copyfighting http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/2005/07/an-introduction-to-copyfighting/ The #1 Blog for Klepopotami Sat, 20 Feb 2010 17:33:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Fair Use Day » Free Downloads 6, new album-mix-type-thingy http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/2005/07/an-introduction-to-copyfighting/comment-page-1/#comment-31 Fair Use Day » Free Downloads 6, new album-mix-type-thingy Tue, 28 Mar 2006 20:03:34 +0000 http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/?p=20#comment-31 [...] While I was poking around at the Kleptones blog I came across a link to “Introduction to Copyfighting“, “a brief but informative introduction to the current on-line war of intellectual property rights” by Scott Kleper. It’s a good read while you are listening to some great tunes. --> [...] [...] While I was poking around at the Kleptones blog I came across a link to “Introduction to Copyfighting“, “a brief but informative introduction to the current on-line war of intellectual property rights” by Scott Kleper. It’s a good read while you are listening to some great tunes. –> [...]

]]> By: klep http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/2005/07/an-introduction-to-copyfighting/comment-page-1/#comment-14 klep Fri, 02 Sep 2005 18:25:51 +0000 http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/?p=20#comment-14 The EFF has posted a <a href="http://www.eff.org/IP/DRM/guide/" rel="nofollow">great article</a> that rips apart the claims of "freedom" made by vendors of DRM-crippled digital music. Good stuff! The EFF has posted a great article that rips apart the claims of “freedom” made by vendors of DRM-crippled digital music. Good stuff!

]]> By: Dave Ex Machina - A Thousand Points of Articulation » Links of Destiny! http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/2005/07/an-introduction-to-copyfighting/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Dave Ex Machina - A Thousand Points of Articulation » Links of Destiny! Fri, 19 Aug 2005 18:35:03 +0000 http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/?p=20#comment-12 [...] An Introduction to Copyfighting: A nice summary of the whole copyright/copyfight debate. [...] [...] An Introduction to Copyfighting: A nice summary of the whole copyright/copyfight debate. [...]

]]> By: klep http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/2005/07/an-introduction-to-copyfighting/comment-page-1/#comment-11 klep Sat, 06 Aug 2005 01:09:17 +0000 http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/?p=20#comment-11 Interesting. I hadn't really thought of the two parts of the definition as being in-conflict like that. The thing that frustrates me is that we don't really know if non-DRM distribution would still make money because nobody really seems willing to try it. The appearance of file sharing networks was such an affront to these media companies that their reaction was to try to make doing so impossible, not to find a way to monetize the desire for DRM-free digital content. There are some isolated cases where non-DRM media files have been sold. One of the most notable is emusic, which sells somewhat lesser-known music as regular old MP3's. That they've stayed around this long is somewhat of an indication of success. It's almost like the producers think that if they sell their content in a non-DRM format, just that one guy will buy it and then he'll share it online with the rest of the world. I think that's simply not true. Give me a good UI, a flexible file format, and a reasonable price and I won't bother using eMule. Interesting. I hadn’t really thought of the two parts of the definition as being in-conflict like that. The thing that frustrates me is that we don’t really know if non-DRM distribution would still make money because nobody really seems willing to try it. The appearance of file sharing networks was such an affront to these media companies that their reaction was to try to make doing so impossible, not to find a way to monetize the desire for DRM-free digital content.

There are some isolated cases where non-DRM media files have been sold. One of the most notable is emusic, which sells somewhat lesser-known music as regular old MP3’s. That they’ve stayed around this long is somewhat of an indication of success.

It’s almost like the producers think that if they sell their content in a non-DRM format, just that one guy will buy it and then he’ll share it online with the rest of the world. I think that’s simply not true. Give me a good UI, a flexible file format, and a reasonable price and I won’t bother using eMule.

]]> By: Pierre http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/2005/07/an-introduction-to-copyfighting/comment-page-1/#comment-10 Pierre Fri, 05 Aug 2005 23:25:24 +0000 http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/?p=20#comment-10 This is a great introduction to the copyfight. I'm a newbie, and it helped me a lot - to the extent that I <a href="http://deepfreeze9.blogspot.com/2005/08/king-content-vs-copyfighters.html" rel="nofollow">blogged something about it</a>. I locked onto the tension between the two principles you state up-front: (1) Copyfighters aren’t saying that information should be free; (2) Consumers need rights like Fair Use and First Sale. The hard question is whether both principles can be satisfied simultaneously for digital media. The very existence of the copyfight suggests that they cannot. Industry says it can't make money without DRM, which (at best) threatens Fair Use and First Sale, and Copyfighters won't allow a model that doesn't support "Fair & First". In the court of public opinion, it becomes a question of who bears the burden of proof. Should the Copyfighters demonstrate that, and how, both principles can hold at once, or should King Content prove that they can’t? If both can’t hold, should King Content prove that Selling Bits trumps Fair & First, or do the Copyfighters have to establish the reverse? As a newcomer to the issue it seems to me that both sides are in denial about the validity of the other's non-negotiable principle. This is a great introduction to the copyfight. I’m a newbie, and it helped me a lot – to the extent that I blogged something about it.

I locked onto the tension between the two principles you state up-front: (1) Copyfighters aren’t saying that information should be free; (2) Consumers need rights like Fair Use and First Sale. The hard question is whether both principles can be satisfied simultaneously for digital media. The very existence of the copyfight suggests that they cannot. Industry says it can’t make money without DRM, which (at best) threatens Fair Use and First Sale, and Copyfighters won’t allow a model that doesn’t support “Fair & First”.

In the court of public opinion, it becomes a question of who bears the burden of proof. Should the Copyfighters demonstrate that, and how, both principles can hold at once, or should King Content prove that they can’t? If both can’t hold, should King Content prove that Selling Bits trumps Fair & First, or do the Copyfighters have to establish the reverse?

As a newcomer to the issue it seems to me that both sides are in denial about the validity of the other’s non-negotiable principle.

]]> By: The Angry Yak » Blog Archive » An Introduction to Copyfighting http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/2005/07/an-introduction-to-copyfighting/comment-page-1/#comment-9 The Angry Yak » Blog Archive » An Introduction to Copyfighting Wed, 03 Aug 2005 04:08:48 +0000 http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/?p=20#comment-9 [...] As a member of the EFF, and a long-time general advocate for the expansion of human rights, I have found myself in the middle of the Copyfight. I have often struggled to help people understand how they are losing their rights and persuade them to join the Copyfight cause. Many people, however, feel that the issue does not affect them, or that Copyfighters are simply trying to get things for free (as the RIAA and MPAA would have them believe). This article, by Scott Kleper, is an excellent introduction to the Copyfight and will undoubtably help many of us who have struggled to explain our cause to the masses. [...] [...] As a member of the EFF, and a long-time general advocate for the expansion of human rights, I have found myself in the middle of the Copyfight. I have often struggled to help people understand how they are losing their rights and persuade them to join the Copyfight cause. Many people, however, feel that the issue does not affect them, or that Copyfighters are simply trying to get things for free (as the RIAA and MPAA would have them believe). This article, by Scott Kleper, is an excellent introduction to the Copyfight and will undoubtably help many of us who have struggled to explain our cause to the masses. [...]

]]> By: klep http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/2005/07/an-introduction-to-copyfighting/comment-page-1/#comment-8 klep Wed, 03 Aug 2005 00:08:46 +0000 http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/?p=20#comment-8 Not to defend the Grokster decision or anything, but I believe the difference is that Grokster actually advertised its service as a way to get copyrighted music for free. I believe if gun manufacturers touted their guns' ability to kill humans, they'd be subject to similar rulings. My friend Steve (same Steve from the original entry) wrote about Guns vs. Grokster here: http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000487048930/ I disagree with his conclusion (that software companies won't be affected by Grokster because gun companies continue to thrive), but I think the comparison is interesting. Not to defend the Grokster decision or anything, but I believe the difference is that Grokster actually advertised its service as a way to get copyrighted music for free. I believe if gun manufacturers touted their guns’ ability to kill humans, they’d be subject to similar rulings. My friend Steve (same Steve from the original entry) wrote about Guns vs. Grokster here:

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000487048930/

I disagree with his conclusion (that software companies won’t be affected by Grokster because gun companies continue to thrive), but I think the comparison is interesting.

]]> By: Tracy http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/2005/07/an-introduction-to-copyfighting/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Tracy Tue, 02 Aug 2005 22:35:30 +0000 http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/?p=20#comment-7 Why is it that, according to the Grokster case, technology companies can be held responsible for what consumers do with their products, but gun manufacturers are =not= held responsible for the effects of their products? Why is it that, according to the Grokster case, technology companies can be held responsible for what consumers do with their products, but gun manufacturers are =not= held responsible for the effects of their products?

]]> By: bury me in this dress » Know your rights http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/2005/07/an-introduction-to-copyfighting/comment-page-1/#comment-6 bury me in this dress » Know your rights Tue, 02 Aug 2005 17:25:51 +0000 http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/?p=20#comment-6 [...] Read the whole post at www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/?p=20    --> [...] [...] Read the whole post at http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/?p=20    –> [...]

]]> By: jchris http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/2005/07/an-introduction-to-copyfighting/comment-page-1/#comment-5 jchris Tue, 02 Aug 2005 17:21:28 +0000 http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/?p=20#comment-5 Scott, I started a similar project myself a few weeks ago. The time has come to get the word out to people, because without education no one will realize they've lost their rights until it's too late. <a href="http://mfdz.com/blog/jchris/2005/07/drinking-web-services-kool-aid.html" rel="nofollow">My first entry on Free Culture Kool-Aid.</a> http://mfdz.com/blog/jchris/2005/07/drinking-web-services-kool-aid.html Chris Scott,
I started a similar project myself a few weeks ago. The time has come to get the word out to people, because without education no one will realize they’ve lost their rights until it’s too late. My first entry on Free Culture Kool-Aid.

http://mfdz.com/blog/jchris/2005/07/drinking-web-services-kool-aid.html

Chris

]]> By: Chicken scratches » You had me at “Khan!” http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/2005/07/an-introduction-to-copyfighting/comment-page-1/#comment-4 Chicken scratches » You had me at “Khan!” Tue, 02 Aug 2005 07:45:34 +0000 http://www.scottkleper.com/wordpress/?p=20#comment-4 [...] Speaking as someone who enjoys his media without dealing with problems such as… legality or whatnot, I found this article really interesting. It is a discussion of copyfighting for newbies, and brought to light a bunch of stuff I didn’t know. [...] [...] Speaking as someone who enjoys his media without dealing with problems such as… legality or whatnot, I found this article really interesting. It is a discussion of copyfighting for newbies, and brought to light a bunch of stuff I didn’t know. [...]

]]>