[free-sklyarov] Another ebook "processor"

Thu Aug 16 07:41:59 PDT 2001

I am going to assume this is not a troll (I am sort of naive that way).

First of all, the opposition against laws such as the DMCA has nothing to
do with opposition to copyright in general.  Although many may hold strong
beliefs against copyright, one does not have to hold these beliefs to be
strongly opposed to the DMCA.  Copyright is a delicate bargain.  The
government creates a temporary artificial monopoly on a creative work to
allow the creator to gain a profit.  In return, the public gets the
benefit of using, and eventually gaining, that piece of work.  The key
part of copyright, the nasty truth that everyone seems so ready to forget,
is that it is for the benefit of the public.  It is NOT for the benefit of
business, or even for the creators.  It, of course, hopes to enable the
creators to profit from their work, but, if copyright ceases to benefit
society as a whole, that the constitutional basis of copyright is
ruined.  If the damage to society in the support of copyright is greater
than the benefit, constitutional copyright is again ruined.  I personally
feel that the DMCA destroys any notion of the balance.  It takes away all
concepts of fair use.  You may mock fair use, but if society does not have
certain guarantees as to how they may use a copyrighted work, how has
society benefited from it?  The DMCA nullifies copyright limits, and
allows the creators to control every access, every use.  Any benefit to
society is dramatically limited.  Add to this the fact that the DMCA takes
away our freedom of speech, and the harm to society has outweighed the
benefit.  There is no more balance; there is only corporate greed.

I also find it slightly comical that you suggest that Russia's economic
troubles stem from weak copyright laws, ignoring every single fact and
analysis of Russia I have ever seen.  Russia has a lot of troubles, and I
don't think very many of them can be traced back to pirated software.

Sonja

 On Wed, 15 Aug 2001, y s wrote:

> Do you really believe in trolls, Rabbi Sassaman? I am very real, even if you 
> don't like my opinion.
> The fact that somebody else posted from my computer (and I think I know who 
> it was), does not change the validity of my point.
> Yes, I am "still here", and I plan to post more when I have time, partially 
> because I have some experience most of you don't have: I used to live in 
> Russia for the most of my life. When I saw protestors waving Russian flags, 
> I was saddened. It reminded me of David Duke who went there for support (and 
> found it, BTW).
> Russia now is struggling to enforce very basic laws, put aside the  
> copyright protection. Do you know that in Russia pirate software is sold 
> everywhere almost openly, and you can buy any software for a couple of bucks 
> (and most people do)? I am pretty sure your hero Dmitry didn't even know 
> about Fair Use until he was jailed. There is no need for it in Russia, the 
> idea itself sounds ridiculous. (Fortunately, you people enlightened him.) Is 
> this the ideal situation most of you want to see in this country?
> Many years of Communist rule destroyed respect for private property in the 
> former Soviet Union. This is one of the reasons why Russia, with all its 
> tremendous natural resources an great human potential, is now among the 
> poorest countries in the world, while the United States is still one of the 
> richest. Seems like many of you guys here don't like it.
> Yes, you should see more of my disagreement with you here. If you don't see 
> my messages, it most likely means I am blocked from this list. It would be 
> really funny, considering you strong position on free speech...
> 
> >From: Len Sassaman <rabbi at quickie.net>
> 
> >Subject: Re: [free-sklyarov] Another ebook "processor"
> >Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 12:23:09 -0700 (PDT)
> >
> >Why are you still here, "y s"? You've already been exposed as a troll.
> >Enough is enough.
> >
> >On Wed, 15 Aug 2001, y s wrote:
> >
> > > Of course, you need it to exercise your right of Fair Use.
> > > However, why don't _YOU_ write one? You would be pretty safe in New 
> >Zealand
> > > (Unless you come with presentation to DefCon.)
> > > What, not enough gray matter? That's bad, you may need some...
> > >
> > > >From: "Daniel Richards" <kyhwana at world-net.co.nz>
> > > >To: free-sklyarov at zork.net
> > > >Subject: [free-sklyarov] Another ebook "processor"
> > > >Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 19:32:27 +1200
> > > >
> > > >Short and simple.
> > > >Has anyone written another program that will "process" adobe's
> > > >ebooks into pdf/html/txt/etc?
> > > >Is anyone writing one?
> > > >(you'd probably want to publish it anonymously, heh)
> > > >If anyone knows or is doing such a thing, could you please email
> > > >me (Off list, use PGP)
> > > >
> > > >http://www.freesklyarov.org - Free Dmitry!
> > > >PGP Pub key:
> > > >http://shell.world-net.co.nz/~kyhwana/DanielRPubKey.asc
> > > >Fingerprint: 416D 4027 D635 AF51 F2BF  60DF 4D94 F7A0 9893 2848
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >--
> >
> >Len Sassaman
> >
> >Security Architect            |
> >Technology Consultant         |  "Let be be finale of seem."
> >                              |
> >http://sion.quickie.net       |           --Wallace Stevens
> >
> 
> 
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