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Nashville songwriters: p.d. = piracy

19 Aug 02 - 10:41 AM (#767918)
Subject: Nashville songwriters: p.d. = piracy
From: GUEST

According to the Nashville Sonwriters' brief in the case of Eldred v. Ashcroft, copying a work in the public domain is "legal piracy." This identification occurs in footnote 7 of the brief.

19 Aug 02 - 10:49 AM (#767927)
Subject: RE: Nashville songwriters: p.d. = piracy
From: Kim C

And where can we find this?

19 Aug 02 - 10:53 AM (#767934)
Subject: RE: Nashville songwriters: p.d. = piracy
From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca

Ah, but the important word in what you have written is the word LEGAL. Public Domain is legally copyable. So, the criminal act of piracy (which I believe is still a nautical term), does not apply. There isn't any illegal about copying Public Domain material. Cornerstone of the intention behind the Copyright act.

19 Aug 02 - 11:05 AM (#767940)
Subject: RE: Nashville songwriters: p.d. = piracy
From: GUEST

http://eon.law.harvard.edu/openlaw/eldredvashcroft/supct/opp-amici/nashville.pdf

The point is that the songwriters are making no moral distinction between infringing a copyright and using the public domain. By using the word "piracy" to refer to copying from the public domain, they imply that the Digital Tradition should be ashamed of itself for existing at all.