[pp.int.general] copyright vs. "droit d'auteur"

[Valentin Villenave]

2009/1/11 Richard M Stallman <rms at gnu.org>:

> It is also possible to correct this problem by making copyright last
> longer on free software.  Either solution will work; but the program
> needs to have _some_ solution in order for the free software movement
> to support it.

While I am reluctant to consider such tricks, I think the only way
this could happen would be some sort of contract between the civil
society and the author: "you have the choice between a very short,
very restrictive, copyright, and a longer copyright which we're
willing to grant you if you're willing to give away some freedoms".

This could be adapted to various licensing models, with a sensible
scale (in French we'd call it a "barème"): for instance,
- you want the full restrictive author's right? 5 years it is.
- you want to forbid commercial use of your work (cc-nc)? do so for 7 years.
- you want to forbid modifications? OK, 10 years.
- you want your work to be freely copyable/modifyable/sellable? 20 years.
.... and so on.

This is a long shot, but somehow it makes sense since the author's
right is merely a right given by the citizens (in a democracy) to
restrict their own liberties in order to help the author. The more the
author is willing to accept some compromise, the longer the society
could accept to grant him this right.


Cheers,
Valentin