[MPlayer-users] Re: Rescuing a scratched DVD

[Jeremy Maitin-Shepard]

D Richard Felker III <dalias at aerifal.cx> writes:

> On Sun, Dec 07, 2003 at 11:37:21PM -0500, Jeremy Maitin-Shepard wrote:
>> > It would stop piracy instantly - you can't pirate something when
>> > you're *allowed* to copy it...just look at Linux ;-)
>> 
>> Ignoring the other points, this is analogous to saying that we should
>> eliminate crime by eliminating criminal laws.  (But this comical remark
>> does not really relate to anything else mentioned.) ;)

> This remark is not comical, it's very true.

I was saying that my remark was comical, and didn't relate to anything
else mentioned.  My point was that the `reduce crime argument' is not
valid, unless you mean that government resources would not have to be
spent enforcing it.  (Which is valid, but you didn't explicitly mention
this.)

> Most crime is the result of stupid criminal laws.

Well obviously crime exists because there are criminal laws which make
some act criminal.  I do agree though that there are many useless or
stupid laws.  I agree with many of the copyright and patent laws though.
(But not the DMCA, or allowing software to be patented, or having
excessively long time limits for certain copyrights and patents.)

> Think drug war. Or maybe your republican ass is too stupid to realize
> that victimless crimes (including both drug use and copyright
> infringement) are not "crimes" that we need to protect society
> against.

There is not a victim as a result of copyright infringement per se, but
allowing copyright violation reduces the incentive for producing such
works in the first place, which as I have stated is generally harmful.
Refer to the other posts regarding the need for greater competition,
rather than elimination of copyrights and patents, in order to reduce
prices.

-- 
Jeremy Maitin-Shepard