Hello Björn!   
      
   06 Jul 12 03:47, you wrote to me:   
      
    BF>    If I make a ground-breaking invention, I can have it protected for   
    BF> a maximum of 20 years (patent). It costs me millions and takes   
    BF> hundreds of hours to fill out all the forms. After 20 years everybody   
    BF> is free to copy my invention and even to sell it.   
      
    BF>    If I pick up a microphone and record a song, I get it protected for   
    BF> life plus another 90 years. It doesn't cost me a single cent and not a   
    BF> minute of my time -- it's fully automatic.   
      
    BF>    And you don't think this is stupid?   
      
   I think the rights to works (as you cite in the above axamples) is best left   
   up to the people who invented or wrote them, meaning the decision is theirs as   
   to how they protect, retain or relinquish the rights to.   
      
   The decision is not *yours* to make unless you are the creator..   
      
   There exists tons of musicians who make their music available freely, others   
   choose not to, its not your call.   
      
   There is a ton of programmers who make their software available for free, and   
   then others who also make their source code available, others choose not to,   
   its not your call to make.   
      
   ==   
   Ross   
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