I like how you mention money and greed and how they intertwine with copyright issues. I agree with you strongly that people that "create" should be protected and should be able to share in the wealth that is generated by their creations. One thing I think about here though that may seem a bit radical is that I feel sometimes people who are not very talented but have more resources or connections have a much easier time establishing copyrights and thus reaping the benefits from them. I find it sad that there are so many people out there that are extremely skilled and intelligent that can't "cash in" on their creations because they do not know how or do not know the right people. What do you think?
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| Photo by Liz West - Creative Commons http://www.flickr.com/photos/calliope/2207307656/ |
Mike's Original Post:
Although copyright, to me, seems pretty “cut and dry,” there are still a lot of things that must not be overlooked. The more I think about copyright issues, the more I become angry at the people who use this as a way to simply get richer. Who in their right mind would want to copyright a calendar?
What a clever way to introduce the topic of fair use. I must admit, I was not absolutely sure as to what fair use was before I watched that. But now, it is very clear. Here is the way I translate fair use. If I wish to use a small certain a copyrighted work, for specific things, such education or news, for a certain time period, I will be protected, as long as: it does not change the original work or it’s value. That’s fair enough! Now when it comes to fair use and free speech in documentary films, I am a little lost. I understand, vaguely, the rationale behind documentary films, but when it comes to the regulations pertaining to speech within a documentary film, that’s where I get lost. I will have to do some more digging to find out. So let me summarize fair use this way (help me if I’m wrong). I wish to use something that is copyrighted, then I need to make sure that it is not too large or too long, I need to make sure that I use that in positive manner, and I need to be certain that I give credit to the original creator.
There are several reasons why I like the Creative Commons is the fact that you can share your ideas with the entire world and don’t have to worry about all of the many restrictions built in with copyright. Yes. There are some restrictions with the Creative Commons but they are far friendlier than those that are associated with copyrights. Using these parameters, you are allowed to be creative and share your thoughts and ideas with the world. And, in my opinion, that is the one thing that can break all the fetters that bind creativity. When a person is allowed to express themselves in whatever way they choose for the betterment of society, then why not let them share their ideas with other, as long as they receive the credit they so deserve. When I down load something from creative commons, I am free to use it as long as I: 1) Give credit where credit is due, 2) Use it in a non – commercial manner, 3) Allow others to use the work without changing it, and 4) Share this resources with others in the same manner in which I used it.
In summary, I believe that copyrights are an integral part of the preservation of our culture. There have been many people that have contribute their work to our society and it has caused major change. I believe that those people need to receive the credit they deserve for their contribution. However, in other cases, I believe that people are just being selfish or greedy and want to take advantage of others who are trying to contribute something positive to society. In this instance, I believe the efforts of those working to create something should be recognized and their creations be protected so they can share in the value of what they have contributed to society.
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