[pp.int.general] Fwd: <nettime> Richard Stallman: How the Swedish Pirate Party Platform Backfires on Free Software

[Philip Hunt]

2009/7/29 Andrew Robinson <a.robinson at pirateparty.org.uk>:
>
> As a movement, we can't be afraid of the Berne Convention.

Indeed not. If PP was only active in one country, the Berne Convention
would be a beast to be feared, because any country that went against
it would face trade sanctions.

But PP exists in many countries, and over the next few years, Pirate
Parties will grow in strength and influence; in some countries they'll
be in power, in others they will affect the tone of the political
conversation, and the other parties will start adopting our policies.

If a whole load of countries -- for example the EU -- decide to ditch
Berne, they probably won't face trade sanctions, because together they
will be a powerful bloc that can resist them.

And make no mistake, Berne is a bad treaty that needs to be abolished.
A copyright term of life plus 50 years is far too long.

>> And you furthermore have the problem that you had to force any software
>> company to deliver any release and any patch...
>
> No force is required, if a software company doesn't deliver, that
> version would not be granted copyright, and therefore it would fall
> into the public domain, where it can be commercially exploited by
> everyone.

Indeed.

> Personally, I think that granting a longer copyright term for works
> that are released under a 'giving' licence such as creative commons or
> the GPL is a very sensible idea, for the following reason: The purpose
> of copyright law is to strike a fair balance between encouraging the
> creation of cultural works by granting a limited monopoly on their
> exploitation and the need for the public to be able to participate in
> culture. Therefore, if an author is willing to reduce the *strength*
> of their monopoly, then the *duration* can fairly be extended in order
> for the same fair balance to be maintained.

That makes sense.

-- 
Philip Hunt, <cabalamat at googlemail.com>
Campaigns Officer / Press Officer, Pirate Party UK