Copyrights vs. patents vs. yo mama

[Satanic_Hamster]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/biztech/12/14/tech.copyright.reut/index.html

[Uthor]

Hmm, interesting. Who to side with?
Copywrites: Faster to obtain (great for the fast moving computer industry).
Patents: Expire sooner (great for getting source out there to improve on it).

I would say it's better to copywrite 'cause you can protect your work sooner, the the advantage of patents (they run out in 20 years) if almost moot in the fast paced world of computers (20 years could well be forever).

[Tech]

if they updated the patent process it would be the best.
done.

[darien]

Want to learn a LOT about copyright? Read this free book by well-known attorney Lawrence Lessig. "Free Culture". http://www.free-culture.cc/

[Thordic]

Patents: Expire sooner (great for getting source out there to improve on it).

20 years is hardly soon enough to make a difference in the software industry.

[[gh]Spurty]

http://www.dlib.org/dlib/june01/iannella/06iannella.html <-- End game :/

Copyright is cool, but I agree, the life of a Copyright should be dropped to about 4 years.

[Satanic_Hamster]

Dropped after four years? That would screw over musicians beyond belief.

And Valve wouldn't be too happy losing the copyright on HL after four years. Nor would microsoft.

[babyseal]

holy shit people would have to put out more original works
holyshtiashithit im going to cry.

REAL EDIT:
my integras.org pop3 may or may not be crapped out, but I believe I sent out messages to the corresponding webmasters about the problem. thank you darien for the research on the correct url.

[darien]

The correct link is:
http://www.eff.org/IP/freeculture/

You should notify the webmaster, as instructed, upon finding a broken link.