Re: Why DRM exists [was Re: Flame Linus to a crisp!]

Timothy Miller
2003-04-29T19:42:11Z

Henrik Persson wrote:

>On Tue, 29 Apr 2003 10:21:19 -0400
>Timothy Miller <miller@techsource.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>>I have known a lot of incredibly creative people who have never shared
>>their ideas with anyone because they feared others would steal their
>>ideas and not give credit where it's due. Maybe you think they're crazy
>>
>>for thinking that way, but evidence abounds that that sort of thing
>>happens all the time. It's very sad that so many brilliant ideas have
>>never been shared with the world. What do the "information wants to be
>>free" people have to say to those people who know they're going to be
>>ripped off if they open their mouths?
>>
>>
>
>Newton had a lot of rather unique ideas he never published.. But in his
>time no one did own information. ;)
>
>And to those people who are so terribly afraid of being "ripped-off" I can
>only say that every poet, every programmer, every human being is a theif
>in that sense. If they are afraid that other people will take their ideas
>and make money of it - just put it under the GPL? ;)
>
>Could you be a bit more elaborative when it comes to the term "ripped
>off"?
>
>
>
Like in movies where:
- kid A writes a book report
- kid B copies it
- kid B gives the book report in class before kid A
- kid A gets an F because he can't give his report

Mind you, this may be a very childish way of looking at things. I
PERSONALLY don't expect a problem. I've released code under GPL before,
and people respected, to my knowledge, my copyright. They were thankful
and appreciated using what I wrote. I loved the whole experience. But
I have a strong enough sort of personality that I would go on the
offensive were someone to steal my work, take credit for what I did,
etc. Some people are much more timid. Rather than damning them for
being timid, those of us who can understand how they feel should try to
help so that they will share their ideas with us.

The fear exists because this kind of theft happens, and not just among
children.

Keep in mind that being introverted is normal and common. Being timid,
on the other hand, is something completely different and can be the
result of some sort of past trauma. People try to share and get burned,
so they don't share anymore.