[free-sklyarov] 'COMMENTARY: STEALING IS STEALING'

[Brooklyn Linux Solutions CEO]

> 
> Let me put in a word against spending more than a couple of hours on
> trying to get such an estimate. 

I would very much disagree.  Lobbies and Corperations spend a fortune
on EXACTLY this kind of data. They then churn this data through marketing
departments which are hugely funded.  And then supply this 'education' to
decision makers.


The lynch pin to a successful campain is being armed with information
to substaniate your case, and then being a pitbull to press your case.





> Any honest estimate will vary wildly
> under different assumptions.  

Good - we'll pick the best one for us.

>And the space of assumptions is itself ill
> defined. 

It's exactly defined.  We need to know all the current
costs of copyrighted works over 40 years old to these institutions, and textbooks.


Then we need the cost of imploying the technology to make them digitally available to students.

Then we compare them.

Then we compare them to the costs being proposed buy closed systems.

Then we add the costs that we can estimate if databases also fall into
DMCA type control.





>Most of the reasonable sounding assumptions are also subject to
> effective attack by the other side.  

So?

Hire James Carivelle

>Indeed, their whole argument is that
> without the new trammels, much less good work will be produced.  So, out
> of the starting gate, there is controversy over the sign of the estimate.
> I do not think there is any solid impressive number we can effectively
> argue for.  But, very nearby there are much more solid numbers:
> 
> 1. The extraordinary overcharges for scholarly journals of the past twenty
> years.

Not used by public schools.  Unimportant to Tax Payers, especially those
paying elementry school taxes and teachers unions.

> 
> 2. The extraordinary locking-up by copyright extension of works which the
> Founders thought should by now be in the public domain.

Put a number on it.

> 
> 3. The extraordinary heavy chill already settling on both research in
> cryptography and computer security, and ordinary Consumers Reports style
> reviews of software.
> 

Put a number on the costs.  Not that this is going to drive votes.

> 4. The extraordinary increase in planned charges to public libraries for
> what once would have been reasonable priced usage of books.
> 

Put a number on it.

> These numbers can be understood and most people will find them shocking.
> 
> oo--JS.
> 


We want to drive votes.  We want to show we can hire 5000 more teachers
if the DMCA and the Copyright extenssion was abolished tomorrow, thereby
decreasing the digital divide and lowering PROPERTTY TAXES.

Anything which lowers Property Taxes is going to be loved.....


Ruben