Subj : Re: GNU Public Licences Revisited (again)
To   : comp.programming
From : David Golden
Date : Fri Aug 26 2005 09:13 pm

Rob Thorpe wrote:



> I doubt though that I could improve on Chapter 4 of "The Great
> Gatsby", "Mr Tambourine Man" or King's College Chapel, and I 
> doubt anyone else 
> could.
>

Aside: not sure that's an argument for copyright as such even in those
fields, anyway - it might, however be some sort of an argument for a
"moral right" to "integrity of an art work", which exists in some
european jurisdictions independent of copyright.

But should you be denied the ability to even try to alter your copy of
Mr. Tambourine Man or your copy of King's College Chapel? (obviously
altering the original would be damaging someone else's physical
property, and would be a no-no)?  Even if you release it with "this is
my copy of King's College Chapel where I 'improved' it with sculptures
of the TellyTubbies engaged in lewd acts replacing any pointy bits"?

(see the furore about "right to remix" in underground music...).

If you can't improve on it, and any changes you make would wreck
the gestalt of the art, who's is going to pay you to thus develop the
art with your changes (or even want to see/hear it) anyway? (Of course,
no doubt a Gangsta Rap mix of Mr. Tambourine Man is out there
somewhere... Sigh...)

.