[B5JMS] attn. JMS: A TV writing question...

[b5jms at cs.columbia.edu]

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From: "David Williams" <dwilliams298 at comcast.net>
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2003 02:58:14 +0000 (UTC)
Lines: 23


"David S." <elven.bane at verizon.net> wrote in message
news:slZLa.26$Fl5.19 at nwrddc02.gnilink.net...
> When the creatators
> (who are dead now btw)
> originally made the works they obviously were happy enough with the laws
of
> the time to create the works.

Well, picking a rather large nit:  A creator of an artistic work does NOT
base their desire, nor exercise their desire to create on the current
copyright laws in place at a given time.  They may be forced to juggle their
decision on **publishing** their creation  But that's an entirely different
animal.   In fact to the contrary, a creator may be entirely UN-happy about
given laws, but publish anyway.  Why?  Because for most, the simple act of
creating is not fulfilling enough.  They also need to share their creation
with others.  Eg. People usually write because they want other people to
read.  (Unless of course it's a diary, or their initials are JDS.)

-David W.




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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2003 04:50:17 +0000 (UTC)
Lines: 26

>> When the creatators
>> (who are dead now btw)
>> originally made the works they obviously were happy enough with the laws
>of
>> the time to create the works.

Well, that's a pretty absurb bit of reasoning.  Writers, real ones, can't not
write.  But that doesn't mean you're happy with the circumstances that attend
the publication and protection of your work.  

If anything, this has been the single most unifying theme in the daily lives of
all writers, how to protect their work.  It was Mark Twain who lamented, "Every
time a copyright law is to be made or amended, the idiots assemble."  

There was a man unhappy with the laws, but who continued to produce.

 jms

(jmsatb5 at aol.com)
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