Fair use copyright law: The Comic Book!

Richard Alvarez · August 30th, 2007, 06:17 PM

"Otherwise once the facts were clearly outlined the parties would have understood each others point of view and reached an amiable solution to the conflict."

But facts are always 'clearly outlined' before a lawsuit... the parties just don't agree to how the facts should be interpreted... hence the suit.

Don't get me wrong, there are evil people, and malicious people, and cruel people who use the law... and sometimes they 'win'... and they certainly feel that justice was 'served'... for their purposes.

Litigation has always been part and parcel to business practices.

My point is that the new technologies have created an ease of infringement not in existence before their development. Just as there has been a MASSIVE increase in counterfitting with the development of new computer-graphics-printing solutions - causing the mint to redesign bills REPEATEDEDLY to defeat these new technologies... so too has there been an apparent increase in theft/pirating/ and accompanying legal suits/laws. The comic book did not make the obvious connection when pointing out that things were somehow 'easier' on filmmakers back then. Well - yes and no. It was MUCH MORE expensive to make a film then than it is now... but aquiring rights was cheaper. It's much more expensive to acquire rights now - but making the film is cheaper. And this is directly because of the developments of the new technology. That's the point I'm trying to make, and the point that the comic glossed over.

August 30th, 2007, 06:17 PM	#16
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	"Otherwise once the facts were clearly outlined the parties would have understood each others point of view and reached an amiable solution to the conflict." But facts are always 'clearly outlined' before a lawsuit... the parties just don't agree to how the facts should be interpreted... hence the suit. Don't get me wrong, there are evil people, and malicious people, and cruel people who use the law... and sometimes they 'win'... and they certainly feel that justice was 'served'... for their purposes. Litigation has always been part and parcel to business practices. My point is that the new technologies have created an ease of infringement not in existence before their development. Just as there has been a MASSIVE increase in counterfitting with the development of new computer-graphics-printing solutions - causing the mint to redesign bills REPEATEDEDLY to defeat these new technologies... so too has there been an apparent increase in theft/pirating/ and accompanying legal suits/laws. The comic book did not make the obvious connection when pointing out that things were somehow 'easier' on filmmakers back then. Well - yes and no. It was MUCH MORE expensive to make a film then than it is now... but aquiring rights was cheaper. It's much more expensive to acquire rights now - but making the film is cheaper. And this is directly because of the developments of the new technology. That's the point I'm trying to make, and the point that the comic glossed over.