[matheusmoreira]

Do we? To me the choice is simple: either we abolish copyright, or all computers will eventually be turned into consumer appliances and we'll need programming licenses to write code.

It's an easy choice for me. As it should be for anyone who browses Hacker News. In a copyright world we won't be able to hack anymore.

So let the creators sort their business out. They'll find a way or go bankrupt. We must not keep inching ever closer to the dystopia where the government and monopolist corporations own our computers.

[knorker]

> So let the creators sort their business out. They'll find a way or go bankrup

Absolutely no need to make it technically impossible, or even hard. They'll do just fine suing people who infringe, and/or get criminal conviction.

As they have been doing.

They'll be just fine, don't worry about copyright holders.

[EvanAnderson]

> They'll be just fine, don't worry about copyright holders.

I'm not. I'm worried about the freedom to program general purpose computers and the freedom to create derivative works. It seems like copyright holders have been consistently using their lobby to make both harder.

[matheusmoreira]

> Absolutely no need to make it technically impossible, or even hard.

Then why do they keep doing it? Get them to stop, please. Make them stop adding DRM to everything. Make them get rid of DMCA anticircumvention laws. Just stop interfering with our computers.

[knorker]

Again, it's not hard to stab someone, or to shoplift. Or run a red light.

Why keep doing it? Because they made a thing, and they want to make money selling it. Pretty obvious, no?

[matheusmoreira]

Didn't you just say they'd be totally fine suing everyone?

[knorker]

Only if the law is on their side.