Friday, July 29, 2005

A new take on copyright

I like to think that I am a tolerant, easy-going, live-and-let-live, liberal-minded sort of chap. But Bookslut put me on to a lady called Mary Sue Pembroke, who has a quite breathtaking approach to the matter of copyright.

It seems that Mary Sue is a big Harry Potter fan, but she doesn't like the way the story goes in the latest instalment. So she's changed it. And issued a 'corrected version'.

Mary Sue says this: 'Whenever an author puts a work out into the universe, it is no longer their exclusive property anymore. Harry Potter belongs to all of us, not just Rowling.'

Well, that's a bit of a conversation stopper, I must say. So, Mary Sue, if HP now belongs to all of is, does that mean we all get to share in the royalties? Can I have mine paid direct into my bank, please, like my pension?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You do realise this is a hoax, yeah? If not, you might like to google for "Mary Sue" & check what the website you refer to to says about the factual basis of its articles.

Anonymous said...

http://www.nyu.edu/classes/siva/archives/001785.html
See "note to the extremely gullible."