Optimum Copyright Period Decided by Math 442
An anonymous reader writes "So how long should a copyright be valid for? A Cambridge student has stepped into the discussion with a dispassionately calculated estimate of the optimal period a copyright should be granted. Ars' point of view: 'Neither the US nor the UK are in any danger of rethinking copyright law from scratch, but if they were looking for guidance in how to set up their systems, Pollock has it. He develops a set of equations focused specifically on the length of copyright and uses as much empirical data as possible to crunch the numbers. The result? An optimal copyright term of 14 years, which is designed to encourage the best balance of incentive to create new work and social welfare that comes from having work enter the public domain (where it often inspires new creative acts).' The original paper is available (pdf) online."
In the United States... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:In the United States... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:B b b but... (Score:5, Funny)
Consider yourself sued, buddy!
As I was reading this my hopes were soaring for... (Score:2, Funny)
No no no. (Score:4, Funny)
They're not deciding anything, they're just following the good old nuclear fusion approach:
It's just twenty years away
Re:In the United States... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:In Zimbabwe... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Proving once again... (Score:5, Funny)
None of you understand... (Score:5, Funny)
Don't any of you get it? Infinite, retroactive copyright extension is the ONLY way to enrich our cultural heritage of creative works. If the rights-holding corporations like Disney ever lose control of their money-making "intellectual properties", then some day they are likely to go bankrupt (fiscally, that is). And when that happens in our bleak dystopian future, their angry stock-holders will seize a time machine, go back to the 1920s, and convince Walt to never create his characters in the first place, since it clearly won't be a worthwhile investment of his effort.
Sheesh, why do I have to spell this stuff out for you people? It's the only logical conclusion.
Re:In the United States... (Score:2, Funny)
They were thieves! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:They were thieves! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Proving once again... (Score:5, Funny)