> There are, I'm told, emerging economic theories (or
> clever adaptations of existing ones) that seek to
> provide explanations for this sort of thing. I'd be
> curious to learn more about that.
>
>
> DRM
=================
More like ad hoc justifications for what the lawyers are dreaming up for DRM. James Boyle makes some interesting points about the problems involved at the following:
http://ukcdr.org/issues/eucd/boyle_talk_text.shtml 'Imagine for a moment that I am Bill Gates and I have Microsoft Word here, and I have gone to the Congress and I've said "I need my legal monopoly, and I need it to be life plus seventy years or ninety-five years in the case of a corporation, and I need this and I need that ..." and the Congress has said, "Cert... Have another heaving slice of monopoly rent, Mr Gates!" "No, no, I couldn't. Oh well, if you insist!" '