Άρθρο για το copyright στο Economist

[Mario Saturno]

Κάνω αντιγραφεί επικόλληση την πιο  
ενδιαφέρουσα παράγραφω:


In America, the length of copyright protection has increased  
enormously over the past century, from around 28 years to as much as  
95 years. The same trend can be seen in other countries. In June  
Britain signalled that it may extend its copyright term from 50 years  
to around 90 years.

This makes no sense. Copyright was originally intended to encourage  
publication by granting publishers a temporary monopoly on works so  
they could earn a return on their investment. But the internet and  
new digital technologies have made the publication and distribution  
of works much easier and cheaper. Publishers should therefore need  
fewer, not more, property rights to protect their investment.  
Technology has tipped the balance in favour of the public domain.

A first, useful step would be a drastic reduction of copyright back  
to its original terms—14 years, renewable once. This should provide  
media firms plenty of chance to earn profits, and consumers plenty of  
opportunity to rip, mix, burn their back catalogues without breaking  
the law. The Supreme Court has somewhat reluctantly clipped the wings  
of copyright pirates; it is time for Congress to do the same to the  
copyright incumbents.


Τελικά δεν είναι δα και τόσο δύσκολο  
να καταλάβει κανείς τι κάνει καλό  
στην παγκόσμια οικονομία και τι όχι.  
Ας ελπίσουμε κάτι καλύτερο για τις  
πατέντες στην Ε.Ε.


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Mario Saturno
m.saturno at nectarine.it