Eric Eldrid Act

["Neal Pomea" <npomea@xxxxxxxx>]

Reposted from cni-copyright@xxxxxxx:

Subject: 
          The Eric Eldred Act
     Date: 
          Sun, 26 Jan 2003 13:46:22 -0500
     From: 
          Eric Eldred <ericeldred@xxxxxxx>
 Reply-To: 
          cni-copyright@xxxxxxx
       To: 
          Multiple recipients of list <cni-copyright@xxxxxxx>




In response to the stunning decision in Eldred v. Ashcroft, we have come
up with an idea that we would like discussed here.

It is for a tiny tax on works in the 50th year of copyright.  If the tax
is not paid, the work would enter the public domain.  Thus works with no
commercial value would enter the public domain much as they would
earlier when the term expired.  Works with commercial value would be
paid for and would enjoy the current copyright term.  The tax could go
to support the registration process.

Maybe 50 years of copyright is too long.  The Economist has spoken out
for a 14 year renewable term.  But we recognize we have to make
significant compromises with the strong copyright interests in Hollywood
in order to persuade Congress about the benefits of this proposed act.

For more information, please see
http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/lessig/blog/archives/EAFAQ.html

What do you think?


____
"Eric"    Eric Eldred   mailto:ericeldred@xxxxxxx
http://www.eldritchpress.org  "Eldritch Press"



-- 
Neal Pomea
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