I’ve just started reading James Boyle’s The Public Domain, thanks to recent mention on the BoingBoing blog. If Cory Doctorow is to be believed (and he is), then it’s an important book and a good read. What I’ve seen so far confirms that.
I’m encouraged by Boyle’s optimism, his assertion that this issue is important for every citizen, and his assurance that the intellectual property debate is accessible and interesting ("… at the heart of intellectual property law are a set of ideas that a ten-year-old can understand perfectly well").
But what’s most intriguing to me is this quote: "Property’s outside, whether it is “the public domain” or “the commons,” turns out to be harder to grasp than its inside."
Figuring out how to talk and think about things that are not "my property" is an important part of this discussion, and something I hadn’t thought specifically about until now.
If you’ve got an interest in this topic (and you should because it affects you, whether you realize it or not), add this to your reading list. It’s on Amazon, or available free as a PDF from the author’s website.
December 12th, 2008 at 2:11 am
Hi Eric,
Just came across your blog.
I’m in the process of creating a list of notable works dedicated to the public domain. The beginnings of the list can be viewed here:
http://setfree.wik.is/
Just wanted to ask if you knew any other works off the top of your head that can be added.
Researching this topic doesn’t yield many results, so I thought I’d start asking people familiar with the subject.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
December 15th, 2008 at 11:22 am
I’m afraid I won’t be much help here, Jorel. I assume you’ve already checked sources like Wikipedia and Creative Commons. CC has a news item that mentions a few efforts to address this and related issues. I’d definitely be interested to see what else you might find in your research. I’ll keep checking your wiki (and add anything I might find). Good luck!
December 16th, 2008 at 6:17 am
Thanks!