Date: Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:33:21 -0400
From: "Mike B." <yahoo at omniphile.com>
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Ever use YouTube?
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>

Michael Walsh wrote:
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7488009.stm

I suppose that's what we get when we give that kind of power to
ignoramuses (referring to the judge who made the ruling in an area he is
unlikely to be equipped to rule in intelligently).

Judges probably know the law, and they are most likely familiar enough
with everyday issues, such as theft, domestic violence, contract
breaches, and injury cases, but any time the question requires expertise
just to understand the issues, they are really not qualified to be
making rulings and we really need to re-think our legal system or we
will continue to get moronic, dangerous and counterproductive rulings.
The education most judges have just does not qualify them to rule on
questions involving such things as bioengineering, the Internet, the
safety of certain scientific experiments, or certain kinds of
intellectual property.

Perhaps the Internet has caused it to be time to reconsider the entire
idea of "copyright"?  It's not a natural law...it's a human construct,
created to cause a particular outcome.  If there's a better way to reach
that outcome, or if we no longer desire that outcome, it's time to
change the rules.

-- Mike B.