IP: : RE: Now here is an idea -- HappyAnniversary-of-American-Independence Day!

[David Farber <dfarber () earthlink net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: "Rick News" <rick () cello net>
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 2002 13:33:57 
To: <farber () cis upenn edu>
Subject: RE: Now here is an idea --  HappyAnniversary-of-American-Independence Day!

Why do you think that is not the case now?

If I want to put up a building (house, office building, etc) in Fairfax
County, Virginia I have to comply with:

        Building: 1996 BOCA National Building Code 
        Accessibility: 1992 CABO/ANSI A117.1 
        Property Maintenance: 1996 BOCA National Property Maintenance
Code 
        Fire Prevention: 1996 BOCA National Fire Prevention Code 
        Mechanical:1996 ICC International Mechanical Code 
        Plumbing:1995 ICC International Plumbing Code with the 1996
Supplement 
        Electrical: 1996 National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) 
        Residential: 1995 CABO One and Two Family Dwelling Code 
        Energy Conservation: 1995 CABO Model Energy Code 

The non-member price for the BOCA documents is $378 on CD. The text is
not freely accessible in any way I am aware of. (Burying a  printed copy
in some government office is not accessible as far as I am concerned.)

www.ebuildingcodes.com  has an eye opening list of the (copyrighted of
course) various codes (which have the force of law) for various
jurisdictions.

There are probably more types I'm not aware of, but this is what I ran
into when I foolishly wanted to see if something I was building was
legal.

What about the Financial Standards Accounting Board (FASB)? Their
"standards" are required for companies who have to file audited
statements with the SEC. The FASB standards are copyrighted, fee only
"laws"  To quote their web site: 

        "Statements of Standards, Statements of Concepts and
Interpretations
        also are distributed broadly when published through FASB
subscription
        plans and may be purchased separately by placing an order at the
FASB
        website, www.fasb.org." 

Somehow I don't think that counts as "distributed broadly"

There's a surprisingly long list of laws and regulations that effect you
that you have to pay to see.

---rick

P.s. don't forget ANSI, ISO and lots of other  standards organizations
copyright and charge for their documents as well

P.p.s. My favorite is the Delaware General Corporation Law, which
governs any businesses incorporated in the State of Delaware. Delaware
does not make it available. They refer you to Lexis which currently does
make it available at no charge. It was not always this way. It's mind
boggling that a State does not have its own laws available on its own
web site. I would think that making the laws available to the average
citizen would be one of the best possible uses of a government web site.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ip-sub-1 () admin listbox com
[mailto:owner-ip-sub-1 () admin listbox com] On Behalf Of Dave Farber
Sent: Friday, July 05, 2002 10:24 AM
To: ip
Subject: IP: Now here is an idea --
HappyAnniversary-of-American-Independence Day!


What an idea. We should charge citizens money to access copies of the
laws
that affect them!!! (seems to me that may happen now) djf


------ Forwarded Message
From: Richard Jay Solomon <rsolomon () dsl cis upenn edu>
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 2002 10:15:31 -0400
To: farber () cis upenn edu
Cc: ip <ip-sub-1 () majordomo pobox com>
Subject: Re: IP: Happy Anniversary-of-American-Independence Day!

Good thing Hollywood didn't write the copyright laws in 1789, or we
wouldn't be able to read these documents without paying somebody's
heirs for the right to read.

Richard


------ End of Forwarded Message

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