By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Nancy McKeand[Edit][Delete]: Copyright Issues, Random Thoughts [Edit][Delete] July 10, 2006
With the assistance of a good media push, the TeachersPayTeachers concept has been spreading across the internet. So I appreciate this response from Nancy McKeand, who has decided to attach a Creative Commons license to her blog and explains that it is "not because I am worried about anyone stealing abything they find here but rather because I want to make a statement. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Charles Bailey[Edit][Delete]: Strong Copyright + DRM + Weak Net Neutrality = Digital Dystopia?, DigitalKoans [Edit][Delete] May 11, 2006
Essay that is mostly an overview of the three issues listed in the title (Strong Copyright, DRM and Net Neutrality) with some discussion of their impact on libraries in the last section. The conclusion, as the title suggests, is that these three things would be bad for libraries. "What may be every publisher/vendor's dream, may be every library's nightmare. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Steven Page[Edit][Delete]: A Barenaked Guide to Music Copyright Reform, National Post [Edit][Delete] May 1, 2006
The big news in Canada on digital rights has to be the formation of the Canadian Music Creators Coalition. Launched by some of Canada's top artists, the Coalition has taken a stand against the music publishers' lobbying for tougher copyright protection. In particular, the Coalition says (a) it is destructive and hypocritical to sue music fans, (b) DRM locks are risky and counterproductive, and (c) Canadian policy should support Canadian artists.
Steven Page of the Barenakedladies writes of the publishers' lobbying campain: "Much of their lobbying, however, is not about protecting artists or promoting Canadian culture. It is about propping up business models in the recording industry that are quickly becoming obsolete and unsustainable. It is about preserving foreign-based power structures and further entrenching the labels' role as industry gatekeepers."
The same view has been expressed with respect to educational content and software in these pages, and for the same reason. Sure, if we want companies Disney and Microsoft to do our teaching for us - and to, incidentally, define our cultural and national values - then sure, let's set up a system that favours multinational corporations. But if we want anything like genuine learning along with genuine cultures and values, we have to allow small voices to emerge, and this only happens in an environment of sharing and exchange, not one based on mass market commodities.
More coverage from D'Arcy Norman, Digital Copyright Canada, p2p.net, and Michael Geist. [Tags: Books and eBooks, Online Learning, Microsoft, Canada, Copyright and Patent Issues, Digital Rights Management (DRM)] [Comment] [Edit] [Delete] [Spam]. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Simon Hayes[Edit][Delete]: Copyright Makes Web a Turn-off, Australian IT [Edit][Delete] March 1, 2006
The lead tells the story: "Schools (in Australia) have warned they will have to turn off the internet if a move by the nation's copyright collection society forces them to pay a fee every time a teacher instructs students to browse a website." I guess I don't really need to comment. What I wonder is, if this is implemented, will I start getting royalty cheques from Australia? Thought not. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Edward Christian: A Vindication of the Right of the Universities of Great Britain to a Copy of Every New Publication, Google Print November 4, 2005

There is something just deliciously self-referential in the publication of this book - from 1807 - on Google Print. And as you have a look at it, have a thought about what the sudden opening of millenia of scholarship does for our capacity to know - and to learn - around the world. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Tarleton Gillespie: Between What's Right and What's Easy, Inside Higher Ed October 21, 2005

The author looks at the recent announcement that the Copyright Clearance Center would integrate a 'Copyright Permissions Building Block' function directly into Blackboard's course management tools and raises the question of whether clearing rights when clearance is not required, as in cases of fair use, is a good thing. I can see both sides of this one. Easier copyright clearance is obviously a good idea - but clearance should be invoked only where it applies. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Doug Lederman: Easing the Copyright Challenge, Inside Higher Ed October 11, 2005

According to this story, "the Copyright Clearance Center is... integrating the copyright permission process directly into the software colleges use to build and manage online courses," specifically, Blackboard. Written like a press release, this story offers no analysis at all. At the very least, the author could have observed that copyright restrictions are being used not only to prevent file sharing, but to foster and entrench software lock-in. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Michael Geist: Coming Clean on Copyright October 5, 2005

As this article outlines, the Canadian government is under heavy pressure from lobbyists, most notable the U.S.-based RIAA, to sign the latest WIPO treaty. Fortunately, Canada has not done so, is under no obligation to do so, and - contrary to reports about the widespread adoption of the treaty - is among the majority of nations, those taking a 'wait and see' attitude. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. The Coming Battle Over Education and Copyright
Nothing we haven't seen here before, but it's nice to have a clear statement of the issue. "Today Canadian universities spend millions in copyright licenses that are arguably unnecessary". More...