tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7371477.post1418869087282337836..comments2023-10-31T16:18:44.958+00:00Comments on The Writers' Guild of Great Britain blog: In defence of the Digital Economy Billjula meadowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102148211279032637noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7371477.post-72579098232568271582010-04-10T19:22:18.961+01:002010-04-10T19:22:18.961+01:00See also Nathaniel Tapley's blog post: http://...See also Nathaniel Tapley's blog post: http://nathanieltapley.wordpress.com/2010/04/09/why-my-union-is-wrong/<br /><br />and Bernie Corbett's reply: http://nathanieltapley.wordpress.com/2010/04/09/bernie-corbetts-response-to-wmuiw/jula meadowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18102148211279032637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7371477.post-42506418355147902582010-04-10T19:21:14.513+01:002010-04-10T19:21:14.513+01:00This comment has been removed by the author.jula meadowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18102148211279032637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7371477.post-17018293531607212962010-04-09T18:09:03.374+01:002010-04-09T18:09:03.374+01:00This is not a defence of the D.E.B.
Much of what...This is <i>not</i> a defence of the D.E.B. <br /><br />Much of what Bernie says is a perfectly reasonable discussion of the necessity of new models of distribution, and some appropriately broadbrush, suggestive and undogmatic ideas about, for eg., dropping the prices of ebooks and increasing the speed with which they are released. This is exactly the sort of creative and open-minded discussion we should be having. <br /><br /><i>None of this</i> implies that we should have supported this appalling bill. The fallacies are numerous. As Sahj says, there is no argument as to why these desiderata should follow from this bill. Its punitive model propagates the totally bogus assumption that every ebook downloaded for free (for example) would, in the absence of those channels, have been bought at a creator-benefitting cost. This bill totally ignores the changing shape of culture and the great creative benefits that open access - which does <i>not</i> automatically mean unremunerative access - has brought and will bring. <br /><br />(Let's not even to get started on the whole issue of hypocrisy. None of the supporters of the bill ever made a mix-tape? Really?)<br /><br />We should never have accepted the absurd Manichean agenda which implied that we <i>either</i> supported this particular bill, <i>or</i> we were pro-piracy and the impoverishment of artists. I'm a long-time WG member, and someone whose sole income derives from his books - working out ways to make a fair income in the digital age is hardly unimportant to me. This bill is not that. It is authoritarian, dangerous, culturally philistine, reactionary, and - at least as far as its stated purpose goes, leaving aside its potential for more sinister deployments - will not work.China MiƩvillenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7371477.post-71986242757680640752010-04-09T09:56:19.809+01:002010-04-09T09:56:19.809+01:00The WGGB cannot change the workings of the House o...The WGGB cannot change the workings of the House of Commons (would that we could) and are not responsible for the questionable traditon of "wash-up." That's for a different fora. Write to your MP. What we are responsible for is protecting writers' rights, incomes and working conditions and, by heaven, we punch above our weight. The Guild has been securing members' download and digital rights, often getting deals better than the WGAs. And we will continue to do so,<br /><br />Of course prices will drop; it's a case of supply and demand. Everything changes. We won't be able to blame "distributors" much longer because in many cases, the creator in on-line drama, films and books IS the distributor. The future is here and let's embrace it!Gail Renardhttp://virgin.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7371477.post-51696632621318319502010-04-08T22:56:01.898+01:002010-04-08T22:56:01.898+01:00Sorry, if you had started your piece saying that y...Sorry, if you had started your piece saying that you disagreed with how the DE Bill was rushed through, you'd get *some* sympathy and support. As it stands, you've lost my interest.<br /><br />If you're suggesting that prices will drop and DRM/content-locking will suddenly disappear, I'm afraid to say you are mistaken. What's needed are open standards and I don't see what the DE Bill brings to the table here.<br /><br />While I sympathise with content creators, the distributors and their draconian policies are the root cause and the Bill helps them and them alone.Sahjhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15370044833056967102noreply@blogger.com