Re: File sharing and the Creative Commons License

[Tracy Mitrano <tbm3 () CORNELL EDU>]

Creative Commons is, indeed, a creative alternative to the default,
existing copyright law.  It allows the creator to opt into three
different tiers, set of rules about use, copying and distribution in
graduated degrees of liberality but in all cases less restrictive
than copyright law itself.

Their site has more information and details:  http://creativecommons.org/wired/

My guess, Kay, is that the Creative Commons will have little to no
impact on DMCA actions as the RIAA and MPAA, among other major
content owners, have framed the issues.  Most artists -- and their
companies -- will probably insist that they retain the greater sets
of rights that attach to copyright law.  Of course, if the politics
of digital copyright cause a shift in favor of Creative Commons or
some other alternative then we will all be interested to watch as
this formerly backwater area of the law, "copyright." continues to
take center stage in American politics thanks to digitization and
network communications in a media and entertainment driven society
(if not world!).

Thanks for bringing the Creative Commons to our attention!

Tracy

> A recent copy of  Wired Magazine had a cover article about Creative
> Commons, which is the licensing arrangement created by Stanford Law
> School professor Lawrence Lessig.  The magazine also included a CD of
> music produced under the Creative Commons License.   See link below for
> the Wired article.
> The Creative Common licensing permits file sharing and sampling so that
> users can swap songs, mash them up to make something fresh and then
> share that work.   There are two levels of the licensing - one is
> noncommercial file sharing and the other allows commercial use of the
> samples with some restricitons.
>
> What are the ramifications of this concept for file sharing amoung
> students?  If this catches on, will it be the end of DMCA actions?   Are
> any universities promoting this concept?
>
> http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.11/sample.html
>
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