Re: Stallman calls for an end to file sharing war

[David Kastrup]

Alan Mackenzie <acm@muc.de> writes:

> In gnu.misc.discuss Hadron <hadronquark@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Alan Mackenzie <acm@muc.de> writes:
>
>>> How about approach 2A: allow free copying of music and films, but
>>> instead of paying artists out of taxes, they get paid by a levy on
>>> high speed internet lines.  A levy of, say $50 a year, or $100 a
>>> year could provide
>
>> And you determine the amount do you? Streuth. 
>
> No, you lump of foul-mouthed egregiousness, it gets determined by the
> normal political process.  It's not exactly a new idea.
>
>> If people want it they buy it.
>
> People want to download music and films, and then listen and watch them
> without hassle.  That's currently not possible.
>
>> And what about copies NOT done over the net and so are not
>> measured?!?!?
>
> Individual copies would not be "measured", indeed would not need to be
> measured.
>
>> You're insane man.

[...]

> You think so?  You "know" this, without even asking me?  The fact is,
> similar levies have worked well in the past, and they could work
> probably better than the current system now.

Hm?  What's this about "in the past"?  All countries putting a levy on
empty media and copying "contributors" (like hard disks, computers and
so on) have distributing schemes in place based on estimates of
circulation.  Germany does, and most EC countries likely as well.

A nuisance for people who buy computing equipment for computing
purposes, or blank media for backups of their own data.

-- 
David Kastrup