Copywrite laws are they to vague?

[Jack Simth]

Originally posted by Atrocities:
Oh ya like this has ever happened.

I said helps to prevent, not prevents.

[Geckomlis]

Originally posted by Jack Simth:
It used to be that patents expired after 20 years and copyrights after 75 - but I have heard that has changed recently.

As for unconstitutional: The constitution actually makes specific allowance for copyrights and patents:

quote:

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From The United States Constitution, Article 1, section 8(Powers vested in Congress):
To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inverntors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries;

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The problem is that “for limited times” has become a defacto “for all time”. When that limited time expired, works were supposed to enter the public domain. This is not occurring anymore. Congress regularly extends the period of copyright, so essentially nothing has entered the public domain from this process since the late 1940’s. Congress does this in response to lobbyists working on the behalf of the uber media corporations. This corrupts the balance between author’s rights and the public good. FYI: The USA is very unique in its view of copyright. Other countries have author’s rights traditions and are not particularly concerned about an abstract public good.

[ June 18, 2003, 22:21: Message edited by: geckomlis ]

[Jack Simth]

Originally posted by geckomlis:
The problem is that “for limited times” has become a defacto “for all time”. When that limited time expired, works were supposed to enter the public domain. This is not occurring anymore. Congress regularly extends the period of copyright, so essentially nothing has entered the public domain from this process since the late 1940’s. Congress does this in response to lobbyists working on the behalf of the uber media corporations. This corrupts the balance between author’s rights and the public good. FYI: The USA is very unique in its view of copyright. Other countries have author’s rights traditions and are not particularly concerned about an abstract public good.

Yes, I know - unfortunately, the constitution has been "interperted" out of much of its meaning on many different issues. However, it is still useful to bring it up every now and then.

Also, it's not just congress - before anything becomes law, the senate must also pass any such thing, and the president must abstain from vetoing it - Further, the Supreme Court is the body that rules on wether a law is unconstitutional or not, and are the offical interperters of law, and they haven't been keeping quite as close to the original constitution as I might like.

[ June 19, 2003, 00:15: Message edited by: Jack Simth ]

[Atrocities]

Originally posted by Jack Simth:

quote:

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Originally posted by Atrocities:
Oh ya like this has ever happened.

I said helps to prevent, not prevents.

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I'm sorry Jack, I was not being rude, just facetious. And thank you for the information you've posted.

[ June 18, 2003, 22:16: Message edited by: Atrocities ]

[Jack Simth]

Originally posted by Atrocities:
I'm sorry Jack, I was not being rude, just facetious.

That works - sorry for misinterperting your intent.

Originally posted by Atrocities:
And thank you for the information you've posted.

Not a problem.

[ June 18, 2003, 22:18: Message edited by: Jack Simth ]

[Jack Simth]

Geckomlis - I edited my response to your post in response to you editing your post.

[Rojero]

Originally posted by Jack Simth:
It used to be that patents expired after 20 years and copyrights after 75 - but I have heard that has changed recently.

As for unconstitutional: The constitution actually makes specific allowance for copyrights and patents: So does it mean that batman and superman are already public domain?
the whole issue was about just making skins, but I would think if it is common knowledge like that it would be ok, and most sites that I know of really are for non profit