Hello Im posting a copy of a message I just posted to a fractal email list of 300 members. However my message was moderated and didn't make it too the list, because appartnetly the topic is a powder keg. A few messages on the topic have been discussed on the fractalus lists. So again just to explain I resisting my censor and posting a copy of my message for another list to this one. - - - - <<Some members have mentioned their growing reluctance to send UPR's to the list because of the people who don't believe that copyright applies to UPR's being sent over the internet.>> You mean, when someone has an ORIGINAL in their fractal program and they post a COPY into an email program, which then makes a COPY on the internet. So you deliberately make 2 copies of information you created. Then when everyone else on this list reads your message, they make a COPY on the local hardrive. Did you still have the original, what was stolen? Are you worse off? Is someone else richer? Can you begin to see how silly copyright looks when we have the internet. Government must find another basis for intellectual property rights. Its mass civil disobedience otherwise. <<Often they speak of freedom of information as some kind of justification.>> You have no idea about information and intellectual property, do you? Have you studied informatics? <<But UPR's aren't information, they are a work product>> What? Of course these files are information. INFORMATION: The total collection of data which has been organised so it is in a useful form and can be used to produce an idea, condition or situation. (from collins dictionary of computer terms) UPR's are therefore information. Data describing colour, shape, etc. Its the idea of what I call ART - not work product. Music is of course information which describes sounds. <<Saying that you're giving people permission to take your UPR's and use them anyway they want to because you've sent them to the list, is like saying you're giving your permission to a car thief to steal your car if you park it on a public street.>> No, no. Thats completely false. When you steal someones car, they are clearly MUCH WORSE OFF. However, making a digital copy, occurs at a negible cost. Our information technology allow for the 10000 th copy to be made at next to nothing. Physical property such as my car (if I was a dirty motorist, spewing tonnes of co2, into the atmosphere, taking a good atmosphere away from the people living in the future, cruel, tyrant - but I am not) is not able to be COPIED at no cost. Therefore in reality when you stop or object to people making digital copies, you are being cruel, because we all know sharing is best. I reject copyright holders. Profit is an inferior motive for creating art. I have a different value system than the music industry. I want no-one to profit from information. I would never pay for a newspaper, magazine, book, video, cd or any other mass media in a physical form. We dont need mass media for mass content. I'd rather not purchase disposable media on ecological grounds as well. I'd rather use my information technology. I want to see a world inspired by the diverse creativity of our cultures, rather than the crass stench of americanisation. The abandoning of copyright will bring a new period of rapid intellectual development at a global scale. Art and music will flourish in infinite abundance as information technology presents rampant piracy, practically limitless content for nothing. <<The reason that I continue to send UPR's to the list even knowing the risk involved is because if I stop doing that then the idiots win.>> You seem to be taking something personally? <<I would be allowing them to have some kind of control over what I do and don't do, I'm not willing to live that way. So I enjoy the good company of the honest folks on the list and I just don't worry about the rest. :)>> I have no intention of upsetting anyone on this list. If a few people tell me not to post anymore message I will not. The only thing I have done is express my opinions, asked a few questions and made a few comments. I like strong messages, because the meaning is clear. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Great stuff seeking new owners in Yahoo! Auctions! http://auctions.yahoo.com