Doctorow on copyright

Cory Doctorow is a most vocal proponent of open rights to intellectual property, and this piece provides some good points on his side.

The vast majority of the culture swept into this 20th century black hole was not commercially available and, in most cases, the authors are unknown. The works are locked up -- with no benefit to anyone -- and no one has the key that would unlock them. We have cut ourselves off from our own culture, left it to molder -- and in the case of nitrate film, literally disintegrate -- with no benefit to anyone. More...