Re: <nettime> Napster Hurts Free Software

[Craig Brozefsky <craig@red-bean.com>]

Florian Cramer <cantsin@ZEDAT.FU-Berlin.DE> writes:

> On Thu, May 11, 2000 at 11:37:37PM -0700, Craig Brozefsky wrote:
> 
> > I see that for you, as well as Bruce, it boils down to an issue of
> > proper respect for intellectual property.  This insistence led Bruce
> > to make a bunch of groundless arguments about the deleterious effect
> > of music piracy on Free Software.  Are you preparing to do the same
> > thing?  
> 
> No, not at all. His political argument is quietist; it boils down to
> dismissing civil disobedience because it could provoke governmental
> oppression. 

I agree that it is quietist, and I am suggesting that the reason Bruce
raised such a stink about it is that his belief that there should be
some form of copyright protection, as well as his position as
president of the Linux Capital Group (a VC group specializing in Linux
and Open Source-based business), put him directly in the path of IP
monopolist aggression.

> The opposite position,  i.e. mixing Free Software on the one hand and
> Napster + mp3 warez in the same bag, is equally questionable.  

Who do you mean by opposition here?  The IP protectionist who are
using the DMCA to hamstring Free Software, or those who would champion
warez puppiez as Free Software activist?  Perhaps some third party?

-- 
Craig Brozefsky                      <craig@red-bean.com>
Free Scheme/Lisp Software  http://www.red-bean.com/~craig
"Hiding like thieves in the night from life, illusions of 
oasis making you look twice.   -- Mos Def and Talib Kweli

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