OT: Online auctins an institution?

From: John Foust <jfoust_at_threedee.com>
Date: Tue Dec 22 12:47:06 1998

At 06:01 PM 12/22/98 +1, Hans Franke wrote:
>Eric Smith <eric_at_brouhaha.com>
>
>> Maybe in Germany. In the US, Congress just keeps making copyright law
worse
>> and worse, with the supposed justification of bringing us into 'compliance'
>> with the rest of the world. The actual purpose is to make it easier for
>> large businesses to turn a quick buck, and small businesses and consumers
>> be damned.
>
>Just tell me you are joking - next time someone copyrights the
>number 5 and you have to pay to use it ? C'mon, they CAN'T
>copyright data - only representations ... It can't go that way.

In this case, Ebay *created* the data. The information is theirs.
They can control how it is revealed and sold or given away. For all
we know, they *are* already compiling sales figures and will be
charging for it in the future, as Chuck so wisely pointed out.

Collection and compilation copyright is well-known and well-tested.
I haven't looked, but I'll bet a doughnut that Ebay's fine print
claims ownership of every bit of info on the site.

The "actual purpose" is to allow *anyone*, large or small, to protect
their intellectual property. If someone on this list made a web site
of the non-Ebay, CCCCS (classic computer collector Common Sense) price of
old computers, the same principle protects your "data" from being
ripped-off by someone who wasn't willing to do the footwork.

- John
Received on Tue Dec 22 1998 - 12:47:06 GMT