Development of Creative Commons licenses

[drew Roberts <zotz AT 100jamz.com>]

On Tuesday 28 November 2006 04:59 pm, James Grimmelmann wrote:
> Rob Myers wrote:
> > James Grimmelmann wrote:
> >> Some authors feel it is good for their works to
> >> receive wider distribution, even on platforms that use DRM or from which
> >> it is hard to extract works.
> >
> > Are we discussing freedom or loss leaders? Do these authors feel that it
> > is good for them to *receive* work in such a format? Do you believe that
> > they will still do so when their eBook reader breaks, they buy an
> > incompatible eBook reader, or when they wish to copy some text to write
> > a review?
>
> Speaking solely for myself as an author, I am delighted when my CC work
> is ported to another platform, even when that platform doesn't allow
> easy copying out.  (One of my essays has been excerpted in two books,
> which are not the easiest artifacts to copy from, even with scanning
> technologies.)  I would be similarly delighted if my work were ported to
> DRMed platforms.

James, you seem to be continually missing the point. I for instance, in the 
case under discussion have a problem if I cannot put the DRM on, not if I 
cannot take it off.

I take the part about you missing hte point back. I leave it in to illustrate 
my won point with myself as an example. It is very easy to read what other 
write and mix what is written with what is in our heads and what has gone 
before and get things wrong.

Still, to be clear, parallel distribution works fine for me on platforms 
where 
I can apply DRM for myself even if no one can then take it off.

I have an issue where I cannot apply the DRM for myself. Freely.

I think we could make more progress towards perhaps finding common ground if 
we could at least state the other sides objections clearly.

I was writing that to you James, but, as I say, it doesn't apply in context. 
That said, I think it might still be a good general thought and I will live 
it in as well. (Even if it illustrates my own shortcomings. I do please 
special circumstances as I am rushed this month with NaNoWriMo, trying to 
write a novel in thirty days, which I am putting up day by day under a BY-SA 
license...)

>
> In my capacity as a reader, I much prefer non-DRMed versions.  With
> parallel distribution, those versions would be available to me.

I agree with this.
>
> > I would imagine that they will feel this until precisely half a second
> > after it bites them in the ass, at which point they had better have a
> > non-DRM backup. Which of course everyone who uses dual distribution will
> > keep. You always download two versions of a file to make sure that you
> > have one that you cannot use in case you need it in fifty years time.
>
> That some readers will not be careful about their backups and about
> acquiring non-DRMed versions does not strike me as a good reason to
> prevent them from being able to acquire DRMed copies at all.  GNU/Linux
> does not force users to keep backups.  What is critical is to make sure
> that those who wish to be responsible about their backups can be so
> without unnecessary obstacles.

The fear I have is that in ten or fifty there will be no readers available 
that can work with clear files and can only work with DRM encumbered files. 
What will our plain text copies do for us then. If a body of work grows that 
is not legal to use with DRM platforms and proves valuable enough to society. 
It may in some small way help to ensure the continued availability of 
platforms that can work with non-encumbered content.
>
> > These poor helpless users can in fact install GNU/Linux on their PS3,
> > iPod or DS or even just the PC that they are using to transfer this
> > content and not just experience unencumbered media but also gain all the
> > other benefits of Free Software. We should concentrate helping them do
> > so, not helping those who would remove their freedom.
>
> I would like for more people to enjoy the benefits of free software.  I
> don't think that Creative Commons licenses are a well-suited tool for
> encouraging that adoption.
>
> James

all the best,

drew
-- 
(da idea man)
National Novel Writing Month
http://www.nanowrimo.org/index.php
785,006,026 words and counting.