Re: Snooze/lose (Was: Academics and coursepacks)

On Tue, 8 Sep 1998, Albert Henderson <noblestation[_at_]compuserve.com> wrote:
>
> Not only are there new technologies but we can observe the development
> of major investments by "corporate" authors in all sorts of works
> that could not have been imagined a century ago. Multimillion dollar
> investments in copyright properties have produced the leading export
> of the United States. IP outranks hard goods, soft goods, and
> perishables. So I think it deserves the highest protection possible
> -- at home as well as abroad.
>
> Johnson should have known that the great classics are subjected
> to authoritative editing, translations, etc. with new materials
> claiming copyrights. It was as common then as it is now.
>
> Imagine if this principle were applied to commercial real estate.
> Landlords and developers would "enjoy" the same instability that
> compromises the opportunities of authors and publishers. Monumental
> architecture would be out of the question. Builders would emphasize
> short-term use rather than permanence in their choice of materials
> and design.

Based upon the first point I must assume that perpetual protection is the desired objective, in order to preserve the "multimillion dollar investments" to the greatest extent. As for the comment about Dr. Johnson's naivitee (I have deleted Mr. Henderson's repeat of part of my posting quoting Johnson's 1774 letter), I should have gone on quoting Johnson's letter, viz:

   In fifty years almost every book begins to require notes either    to explain forgotten allusions and obsolete words; or to subjoin    those discoveries which have been made by the gradual advancement    of knowledge; or to correct those mistakes which time may have    discovered.

   Such Notes cannot be written to any useful purpose without the    text, and the text will frequently be refused while it is any    man's property.

I continue to disagree with Mr. Henderson about the absolute parallels he claims between real property and IP.

Cheers,

Bernard Katz, Head, Special Collections and Library Development McLaughlin Library, University of Guelph, Guelph ON Canada N1G 2W1

   and Chair, Ontario Library Association Copyright Action Committee bkatz[_at_]uoguelph.ca // (519) 824-4120 X2089 // FAX: (519) 824-6931 Received on Thu Sep 10 1998 - 00:38:48 GMT