On 1/15/00, Steven D. Jamar <sjamar[_at_]law.howard.edu> wrote:
>
> Under current U.S. law if I subscribe to a print newsletter, I cannot
> photocopy it and redistribute it within the company, though I can route
> the printed newsletter to as many people as I want.
>
> But a pdf file is not print. It makes little sense to distort the
> technologly so much by requiring deletion of the copy from one computer
> when the pdf file is sent to another computer -- as opposed to simply
> making multiple copies and redistributing it all at once. It also makes
> little sense not to allow me to post it to a company bulletin board or
> webpage for others to come and read -- just as if this were done with
> hardcopies in a company meeting room or lunchroom or bulletin board,
> etc -- even though copies will be made as people access that webpage
> or bulletin board.
Why does it make little sense? How is removing a copy of the .pdf file from the subscriber's computer distorting the technology? One could say the same thing about a transfer of a copy of software. Putting aside ill-conceived licenses for a moment, should people be able to keep copies of software, make multiple copies, and distribute them? How is that any different from what you propose? And posting a copy to the Intranet is *not* the same as putting the magazine in the lunch room. On the Intranet, multiple people can look at the magazine at the same time, whereas in the lunch room, it is unlikely that more than one person will read it at the same time and impossible to do it as easily and completely as on the Intranet.
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