[liberationtech] WC3 and DRM

[Richard Brooks]

Obviously, these issues have been very thoroughly discussed
by Corey Doctorow and Larry Lessig. DRM has not proved to be
effective at safeguarding intellectual property. It seems
to be most effective as a tool in maintaining limited
monopolies, since it stops other companies from investing
in creating products compatible with existing products.

If you insert a lame "DRM" module into a toner cartridge,
you can sue anyone that makes cheaper compatible components
for breaking your DRM.

The use of DRM sure has not been effective in stopping
music, video, or video game piracy.

It seems that the basic idea behind many of these arguments
is that all intellectual pursuits that are not driven
solely by the profit motive are of low quality.
For example, the novels of Franz Kafka and Jean Genet
are lowbrow.

While profit driven art, like 50 Shades of Grade, is what will
advance the world's aesthetics.