[MPlayer-users] Re: Rescuing a scratched DVD

[Adam Nielsen]

> How about what the production of the film costs?  Are you suggesting
> that film producers should 1) operate at a loss, and 2) continue to
> produce films?

Certainly not - but when you hear that a film has produced a profit of 
hundreds of millions of dollars at the cinema, why is the DVD release so 
expensive?  They've recouped their costs and made a *huge* profit, but 
they're still making an enormous profit on the DVD too.  Personally I think 
they should rely on the cinema to make their profits, then release the film 
essentially "for free", with no copy restrictions and the option to get a 
copy on DVD for the few dollars it costs them to manufacture it.  It would 
stop piracy instantly - you can't pirate something when you're *allowed* to 
copy it...just look at Linux ;-)

> You can be sure that without patents and copyrights, there would be
> far less innovation generally, and specifically almost no video or
> audio works.

You obviously have never seen "open source" music.  People have been composing 
songs on computers for decades and releasing them for free, in their original 
"source" form allowing you to play the song, edit it, and pull it apart 
enough to see individual instruments and notes.  Try visiting 
www.modarchive.com sometime ;-)  I wouldn't say the free music there has been 
stifled by lack of copyright...  Sure, if you got rid of patents and 
copyrights a lot of people would stop producing work, but you can be sure 
there'd be even more people only too willing to take their place.

> It is reasonable to argue that the time limits on copyrights and
> patents be reduced, but abolishing copyrights and patents in entirety
> would help no one.

The only people it wouldn't help are those making huge profits on their 
copyrights (i.e. movie studios.)  Everyone else would have a huge benefit.

Cheers,
Adam.