"If you didn't pay for it, you've stolen it!"

Roy M. Silvernail roy at rant-central.com
Fri Oct 24 11:14:03 PDT 2003


Major Variola writes:

> What *is* a library?
> 
> 1. A library is legal.  A library needn't be licensed by any state
> entity.
> 
> 2. Thus, I can declare my computer a library.  The only requirement is
> that
> I own a license to what I lend, and that only 1 user exercise that
> license
> at a time.  That is what a library is.

Well stated.

> A legal assault on this mechanism is an assault on bricks and mortar
> libraries,
> ie the right to lend a book to an associate.  Even if that associate
> xeroxes the book
> without our knowing it.
> 
> Perhaps these features could be added to KaZaa.   (Simply: when a file
> is uploaded
> from your disk, you move it from shared to not shared directory for a
> day.  You also
> have some lameass clickthrough library-patron contract.)
> 
> Gentlemen, start your lawyers.

Indeed.  I'd guess the [MP|RI]AA wouldn't like this at all.  But your
point is inescapable and I'd /really/ like to watch this court battle.
-- 
Roy M. Silvernail is roy at rant-central.com, and you're not
http://www.rant-central.com is the new scytale
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