OT: Language Abuse (Was: Note to Tim)

[Voltage Spike]

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I know I am just picking nits, here, but this is what I feel.

On Saturday 06 July 2002 13:16, Derek Neighbors wrote:
> Please dont call copyright law, "intellectual property" it is misleading
> and in accurate.

"Intellectual property" is entirely accurate, and I will continue to use it.  
Ideas are not property, and I am not arguing that point.  However, when the 
author of an idea utilizes the law in such a way that it limits the rights of 
the idea to those of property, then I feel that the term is appropriate.

> Piracy is a gross term for "unauthorized copying".  Pirates were brutal
> murderers, rapists and pillagers and I doubt you intend to mean "sharing
> with your neighbor without authorization" is on par with such criminal
> activity enjoyed by pirates. ;)

I am of mixed feelings about this one.  On the one hand, the term "piracy" has 
been used to describe the unauthorized use of an idea for centuries.  On the 
other hand, it has the secondary meaning that you describe.

Since it is all just propaganda, however, I prefer to use the term that 
furthers my cause.  Namely, I use the term copyright infringement, which 
tends to be a neutral term.

I would also add another term to the list that has been growing in popularity: 
copy protection.  I tend to associate the term with protecting my right to 
copy rather than its true meaning (a mechanism which protects the author's 
rights concerning the copy).  In fact, many people interpret the term this 
way.  The end result is that people tend to accept copy protection without 
thinking about the true meaning.  How many people would buy that new CD with 
brand new "copy prevention" technology? :-)

- -- 
						Voltage Spike
      ,,,
     (. .)
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