Semi-OT: Congress about to limit artists' copyright rights

[Leo Mauler]

--- On Fri, 5/30/08, Billy Crook <billycrook at gmail.com> wrote:

> > Basically, if we went with your idea we'd start
> > living in a world where you need to pay someone to 
> > register all of the stuff in your house.
> 
> Wrong.  Once this bill is passed, you will be able to
> safely derive from the works of others without wondering 
> if they indended it to be "public domain" or if they 
> wanted to control it. No more confusion, just type it's 
> UPC/product name/fccid, hit enter, and know.

Is it just me, or are we veering on-topic again, with Mr. Crook arguing dangerously close to the concept that GPLing something should require a fee and, if the "licensing registry fee" isn't paid, anyone should be allowed to use what they like from the source code in the supposedly GPLed project?

Because this is exactly where I see laws like this headed, towards people not being allowed to control their own creations unless they pay some private business for the privilege.  How, exactly, is this different from paying Microsoft for the privilege of being able to use a computer to write a novel or design some graphics?  

EULAs are where they got the language for the "Orphan Works Act of 2008" acts currently in Congress.