-----------------------------------
Finally, way too many people who argue for the strengthening of IP laws do so
on the basis of arguments like "I have invested so much," or "If you knew how
much it cost me to bring this to you." That is bunk. Copyrights and Patents
(IP laws) are not mean to guarantee anyone a return or profit on their
investment. If someone has put a lot into an idea to increase its market
value, that has been done at their own risk and the market doesn't owe them
anything. The laws exist as a restraint on the free market, as an incentive
to share the idea as opposed to withhold it. The idea withheld is worth
nothing to anyone.
-----------------------------------
Of course the "market" doesnt owe anyone anything -- Im not sure where you are
hearing that. You've made a lot of other statements which are getting so far
afield that Im just not going to pursue them.
Laws are in place to protect and encourage the "market" of intellectual
property. Without that protection, there is no incentive to research or develop
something if others will come along and hijack it. Marketplaces that dont
protect intellectual property do suffer, by the way.
A great case in point: Russia is chock full of great programmers. But you dont
see Microsoft making Russian versions of Visual C++, or price according to what
the market can bear. The reason is that piracy is so great there, they believe
they wouldnt sell more than a few. It is even worse in Vietnam, where piracy is
so close to 100% that it isnt funny at all. Where is the native Vietnamese
software? Wouldnt Russian and Vietnamese software developers and new learners
benefit from native language versions of the most advanced technological tools?
Of course. Is language a barrier to learning? Of course. Does the fact that
development tools come out in English and the languages of core software markets
give those markets a key technology advantage? Of course.
Now about gaming -- if someone wants to make their own "Greater" OGL like the
Greater GNU license, moer power to them. But I know there are tidbits of what I
am working on that I want to retain control over and the ability to derive some
sort of revenue from. If I couldnt do that, then I wouldnt bother exposing them
under a license I receive no benefit from.
--Lynn
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