I believe fairly strongly that intellectual property law as we know it can't survive the internet. It's like trying to solve the problem of floods by passing a law forbidding water to run downhill. But Congress responds to the problem by making the law more strict; extending the period of copyright, etc. I suspect that the large music publishing businesses, licensing organizations, etc., are seeing the pattern and are terrified and using all the clout they have to get Congress to protect their monopolies.

At some point, in all probability, they'll try to shut down the internet, and upon finding that it's too late, try to put a tax on all internet connections like what they did on recording tape. But I think there's a momentum in the direction of free circulation of all information, that's going to be very difficult to turn around. I hope.

Peter.