MIT's Richard Stallman: Don't use the term "Intellectual Property"

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

MIT's professor Richard Stallman is famous for starting the "free software" movement and is responsible for most of the operating system that Linux is a part of. Mods: We have permission to reprint this here on DU.

http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html#IntellectualProperty

Publishers and lawyers like to describe copyright as ``intellectual property''---a term that also includes patents, trademarks, and other more obscure areas of law. These laws have so little in common, and differ so much, that it is ill-advised to generalize about them. It is best to talk specifically about ``copyright,'' or about ``patents,'' or about ``trademarks.''

The term ``intellectual property'' carries a hidden assumption---that the way to think about all these disparate issues is based on an analogy with physical objects, and our ideas of physical property.

When it comes to copying, this analogy disregards the crucial difference between material objects and information: information can be copied and shared almost effortlessly, while material objects can't be. Basing your thinking on this analogy is tantamount to ignoring that difference. (Even the US legal system does not entirely accept the analogy, since it does not treat copyrights or patents like physical object property rights.)

If you don't want to limit yourself to this way of thinking, it is best to avoid using the term ``intellectual property'' in your words and thoughts.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

1. Dean! Clark! Kerry!

Come on people, this is a pretty important issue. Is Stallman wrong here?

[htuttle]

2. No

Stallman's never wrong.

:evilgrin:

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

6. okay, now what about intellectual property?

htuttle?
:)

[htuttle]

7. I agree with what he says

The whole notion of patents was created to encourage innovation by ensuring that the inventor (assumed to be the patent-holder) would benefit from their invention.

Now, the notion of IP all too often does nothing but stifle innovation, and IP has become a type of chattel, like buildings and equipment.

The DMCA is the ultimate perversion of the original intention of patents.

For clarity, I'm a software programmer by trade (working in the transportation industry, so it tends to be stuff not-for-resale).

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

9. interesting point about WIPO

I liked his reference to the fact that the meme of "intellectual property" started with the WIPO. Also the fact that patents and copyrights and trademarks developed separately, and trying to squash them all into the "IP" category requires so much newspeak.

Software patents will destroy the tech industry if they gain more ground in Europe and the US, along with the patents on nature (the most offensive of all).

[xJlM]

8. I'm glad to hear that!

Since Richard Stallman agrees with me on our current crop of presidential candidates. Check out http://www.stallman.org/ and you'll see what I mean.

[markses]

3. Since when did they make RMS a professor?

LOL!

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

4. he's not?

I assumed he was. What is he, a researcher there?

[htuttle]

5. He's been living down in the boiler room for so long...

..that he finally got tenure!

(just kidding, St. IGNUcius...)