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

[Hal Duston]

At various times up to and including May 31, 2008 many people wrote:
> Many things that I have snipped.

There appears to be a serious misunderstanding of the difference
between copyrights and patents.  If I implement an idea and it
is found to be sufficiently similiar to a pre-existing patent,
then I am in violation of that patent even if I am unware of its
existence.  If I create a work that is found to be similar to
a pre-existing copyrighted work, my ignorance of that work is a
perfect defense, as I am not violating the other creator's
copyright even if my created work is found to be identical.

Now as to the GPL issue, the only mechanism that I can use to
prevent another party from distributing my GPL covered work,
is via the method of asserting my copyright against that party.
Without the mechanism of copyright, I have no other avenue to
compel their compliance with the terms of the GPL.

Thanks,
--
Hal