Dragaera

Tim O'Reilly on piracy, etc.

Thu Dec 12 12:15:55 PST 2002




>I was unable to get to the webpage you listed.
>I got "freaky dots" , a search engine.
>
>I thought the whole conversation on IP was interesting until it turned into 
>a
>brawl.
>I wonder if any of you have checked out 'Atlas Shrugged' or 'The
>Fountainhead' by Ayn Rand. She has an interesting take on capitalism in
>general and what she says can be applied to IP and copyright in a
>philosophical sense. You can also check out the 'Objectivism' website for
>more info. (I am not an objectivist, just thought it might help.)
>
>Hope it helps a little.
>John D. Barbato, OD
>


Oh dear god.  I normally just lurk but this is just too... precious.  
Assuming its not a willfull trolling, which I sincerly hope its not.  Maybe 
I just spend too much time watching USENET, but for an IP discussion, this 
has been remarkably civil, really.  I've vaguely felt I should try and wave 
the flag for the "no such thing as property" crowd, or at least try and kick 
start the what is the purpose of IP in society sub-thread (that being only 
part of it I find all that intellectually engaging).

John, the reason I find this so amusing, so I don't seem to be mocking you 
more than gently, is this: in the vicious, one step away from dogmatic total 
war world that is the net, I don't believe there is a faster way to get 
people reaching for the nuclear button then to introduce the prose and 
political stylings of Ms. Rand into a discussion.

--
James Angove

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