[d@DCC] What is "intellectual property"?

[Chris Brand]

>  Our current jargon file appears to agree with the lobbiest idea, which
>is that it is the 'idea' that is the property and that 'copyright' and
>'patents' are like 'title to a piece of land'.  I believe it is best
>expressed to say that it is the 'copyright' or 'patent' that is the
>property, not the idea or expression of the idea.

A subtle distinction, but I think you're right. I'll do my best to reword it.

>  When trying to explain what Intellectual Property is, I say it is like
>owning a theater ticket. When one is the 'owner' of a theater ticket, they
>are given specific rights.  The ticket may give a seat number, and may
>give a time -- giving the owner of the ticket the exclusive right to that
>seat in that theater for that given time.

I really like this analogy and will use it in the rewrite.

Thanks also to Seth for the FSF link. I'll include that, too.

>  There are terms I believe that should be stopped, such as the phrase
>"piracy" which appears to have no connection to reality at all.  The
>proper term is copyright or patent infringement, and in the majority of
>cases is closer to 'digital jaywalking' or 'unauthorized advertisement'
>than 'murder in the high-seas'.

You're out of date, Russell, they don't say "piracy" any more, they now
say "theft" :

>From WARNER BROTHER'S CEO BARRY MYER :
>we must educate consumers, that digital theft..... is theft.

Hence http://digital-copyright.ca/copyright_jargon.shtml#theft.

Chris
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