RE: DMCA Alternatives

["Rick Anderson" <rickand@unr.edu>]

> We offer exclusive rights in order to promote the spread of
> information, and this is what publication is all about.

Well, sort of.  What the Constitution actually says is that copyright is
intended "to promote the progress of science and the useful arts," which
isn't quite the same thing as saying that its purpose is to promote the
spread of information.  I've always understood that language to mean that
the purpose of copyright is to promote the _creation_ of information,
which it does by making it possible for authors and artists to profit from
their work.  Give people a financial incentive to create information, and
you'll tend to get more information.  Once it's created, you have to find
a healthy balance between spreading that information around (which is both
necessary and desirable, of course) and preserving the financial incentive
to create. A system that only honors one side of that balance will fail.

-------------
Rick Anderson
Director of Resource Acquisition
The University Libraries
University of Nevada, Reno      "I'm not against the modern
1664 No. Virginia St.            world.  I just don't think
Reno, NV  89557                  everything's for sale."
PH  (775) 784-6500 x273             -- Elvis Costello
FX  (775) 784-1328
rickand@unr.edu