re: #243 KGxvi

The biggest difference is that if I patent a chair (to pick a random object), once my exclusive right to make (or license the making) of said chair design ends, I can continue to make chairs based on that design for profit. But with a book or a song or a movie, particularly given the ease that technology allows copying today, you severely impact the artist’s ability to make money.

With my chair example, sure, other people are making chairs, but it still takes some effort and capital investment (you have to buy materials and put them together). But with a work of art, there’s no such competitive market angle. You can go buy a copy of a book/movie/song for less than ten dollars and turn around and sell copies for a dime, while easily making up your investment.

The changes I’m talking about won’t impact the copyright infringement you’re talking about. I’m actually in favor of a global enforcement mechanism, but copyrights shouldn’t last forever.

3D printing and advancements in CNC 3D development are changing a lot of manufacturing stuff. What will it mean when I can download the digital printing instructions to make a copy of a blender?