Piracy and Property

I have to say, I'm enjoying the writings of Lawrence Lessig a lot more than I thought I would. It is interesting to see a law professor clearly draw out the arguments on both sides of such issues, in clear contrast to the fuzzy and incoherent portrayals one can find on the internet whenever these topics pop up. The book is written with a strong narrative in mind, yet laden with interesting and illustrative stories, all conveyed with a simple yet intelligent use of English.

I'm a little interested in what solutions the author is working toward, and whether I'll find they resemble the things we have tried since its publication. For the moment though, I'm merely trying to keep a running track record of the history behind his stories. I find it amazing that I have never thought to look into the history behind copyright law and the trends in that history. For example, I remembered that copyright law was extended in the U.S. in the 1970's to cover works not formally published or reserved, yet I did not know that the monopoly-holders lobbied for the changes in order to exert more control over the market. I bet they were none too happy when the legislature balked them by imposing a limit on the term of the copyright.

I find myself hoping that the trend of courts, laws, and rights balancing themselves out in ways beneficial to the general public will continue to hold in the present, despite the problems with containing and regulating the internet itself.