Harvard Law's Nesson Says P2P Is "Fair Use" 393
eldavojohn writes "Ars has been covering the story of Charlie Nesson (alias 'Billion Dollar Charlie') of Harvard Law who's tangoing with the RIAA in court. His approach has been revealed in e-mails on his blog and has confused everyone from Lawrence Lessig to the EFF. His argument is simple: file-sharing is legal as it is protected by fair use. I dare say that even the most avid file-sharers among us would be a bit skeptical of this line of reasoning."
Uh... (Score:1, Funny)
A reviewer may fairly cite largely from the original work, if his design be really and truly to use the passages for the purposes of fair and reasonable criticism. On the other hand, it is as clear, that if he thus cites the most important parts of the work, with a view, not to criticize, but to supersede the use of the original work, and substitute the review for it, such a use will be deemed in law a piracyâ¦
And in summation (Score:5, Funny)
This does not make sense. What are Wookies doing on Endor? Why would an eight foot tall Wookie want to live with two foot tall Ewoks?
What does this have to do with digital piracy? Nothing. If this does not make sense then you must aquit.
Thank you ladies and gentlemen of the jury.
Re:Lessig? (Score:5, Funny)
While lauded on Slashdot, Lessig only wants to restore copyright to the original length instead of abolishing it completely
Well now, that's just crazy talk. Restoring copyright to a reasonable term? Madness, I say. It's not far down that slippery slope before we get to the point where we give Congress the right to promote the progress of science and useful arts by granting time-limited monopolies to authors and inventors. How far we have fallen from the purity of our true common law roots! We must re-enthrone the true constitutional principle, embodied in the 32nd Amendment, that "Congress shall make no law abridging the right of the people to keep and bear w4r3z w00t!"
Re:Pipe dream (Score:1, Funny)
Are you sure he just hasn't gone for the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chewbacca_defense [slashdot.org]
>Chewbacca Defense?
Re:Pipe dream (Score:3, Funny)
Dear lord, I have no idea how I managed to mangle that link that badly.
The Chewbacca Defense [wikipedia.org]
Re:Whose side (Score:5, Funny)
I will also interject, from a procedural standpoint, that I find it unusual and inexplicable that a conversation between an attorney and prospective expert witnesses would be posted on the internet; one would have to wonder whose side the attorney is on.
The side of openness of information?
So if you hired a lawyer to represent you in a litigation, you would want that lawyer to be more concerned with the "openness of information" about your case than with protecting your interests?
You are a most unusual and wonderful person; I would like to meet you sometime.
Re:Pipe dream (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Methinks... (Score:2, Funny)
1. Use your fancy Harvard Credentials to Sue somebody
2. Sit back and smoke some pot
3. Profit!!!!
Re:Pipe dream (Score:4, Funny)
Or around 3 times the GDP(yearly) of Jamaica.
How many Libraries of Congress is that?
Re:That's why no one is harmed (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Pipe dream (Score:3, Funny)
You have faith in humanity?