Since someone has decided to let the cat out of the bag, another will pay the price of that lack of concern.

I am to the point of realizing our copyright system is in sad need of overall as well as our patent system. Both have swung far to far towards protectionism without regard to the publics’ right of public domain and fair use. Fair use has all but been laid to rest in the grave. Nothing you or I hear in our lifetimes from now on will ever reach that public domain and that is the sole purpose of copyright protection.

Florida is in the news this week as effectively laying to rest the right of first sale on cds. By requiring the store owner to hold any used cds for 30 days before selling, requiring id checks to the point of being similar to the sort of checks required to purchase guns, requiring the store owner to post bond for the ability to sell used cds, and by not allowing a cash return to the customer on the sale of those used cds. They can only get store credit after going through all the above. This means that it won’t be worth it to sell used cds and it will effectively kill first sale in the state. The cartels have again gotten their way with some dirty dealing with state law makers, the same as with federal lawmakers and it is a sad state of affairs.