Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!mcnc!ecsvax!phco
From: phco@ecsvax.UUCP (John Miller)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.misc
Subject: Re: Software (and other kinds of) copying
Message-ID: <4535@ecsvax.UUCP>
Date: 1 Feb 88 14:29:09 GMT
References: <21754@yale-celray.yale.UUCP> <229@wright.EDU> <886@xn.LL.MIT.EDU> <160@octopus.UUCP> <6780@agate.BERKELEY.EDU>
Reply-To: phco@ecsvax.UUCP (John Miller)
Organization: Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Lines: 25

>do. How many artists do you know of whose works are now selling for
>fortunes scraped by for most of their life, and died penniless?

It is true that many artists and craftsmen live at or near the poverty level
because our society fails to appreciate their talents and does not reward
their endeavors, but this is a deplorable situation that should be corrected,
not one to be used as justification for its own continuance.

>On the other hand, copyright laws tend to restrict the free flow of
>information. This causes duplicated work, lost work, and numerous
>other things generally considered bad for society.

I think the most important word here is "free."  Unfortunately, the world
is overrun with individuals who think that their mere existence entitles
them to benefit effortlessly from the efforts and accomplishments of those 
who are productive and creative.  Leeches such as this can't be good for
society.  In fact, I think this "give-me-something-for-nothing-just-because-
I-want-it" attitude is the major problem with the U.S. economy and will
rapidly lead to our demise.


-- 
                        John Miller  (ecsvax!phco)
                        Dept. of Pharmacology, Univ. of N.C.-Chapel Hill
                        Chapel Hill, NC 27514       (919) 966-4343