A mistrial has been declared in a big music-download copyright case. This is because it has not been proven that any actual uploads took place.
I think the more interesting question is whether anybody can prove that the damage to copyright holders is real, and proportional to the huge fines the RIAA wants to inflict on sharers.
Also: US Senate passes the Orphan Works Bill, article.
Update: here's a quote from Douglas Adams:
"Although many people are getting very exercised at the prospect of new technology destroying copyright, it's worth remembering that it was only the previous wave of technology that gave us the ability to protect it in the first place. Copyright is a function of technology, it isn't necessarily an inalienable human right."
This I just now heard, serendipitously, in an audio file (bought and paid for) of a BBC radio show commemorating Douglas Adams and featuring many of his speeches, interviews, and rare sketches. Recommended. You can get in on iTunes.
I also recently bought, paid for, and listened to the three "phases" of Hitchhiker's which were produced after his death, based on the last three books. I recommend those also. They even fixed the depressing ending of the last book, and did so wholly in his spirit, I felt.
If you enjoyed Dirk Maggs "HHGTTG" then I suggest you try to find his Batman and Superman series he did for the BBC about 15 years ago.
ReplyDeleteThe Batman covered the Jean Paul Valet period very well. (Knightfall?)
The girl who played Lois in the three Superman series had quite a good voice, she was also in Batman.
FYI, Dirk Maggs was the producer of the last 3 HHGTTG, they were in surround sound on their original webcast. I got the CDs a few years ago, they were quite good.
Did you ever hear the Vinyl productions of HHGTTG and Restaurant at the End of the Universe. I have one on 12", the other I taped from the library. Interesting to see how the storyline diverged. I also think that the vinyl Trillian had the sexiest voice. Having said that I was glad to hear both the TV and Radio Trillians got to play Trillian and Trishia MacMillan in the final radio series.
I thought it strange how the later series was in "phases" not fits. And still wish they played "Shine on you crazy diamond" before Arthur says "do you know this robot can hum like Pink Floyd", but that got taken out of the radio series for the CD.
"Artemis Fowl" series author Eoin Colfer will be writing a new Hitchhiker's book (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94855192). Interesting how copyright and other possessive ideas get egoistically mixed in our reactions.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Alex, for those heads-ups.