The notion of 'fair use', and of copyright in general, is troubling because it restricts creativity while protecting a very narrow spectrum of creative arts. Take, for example, the creative work of an architect: sure, the plans are copyrighted and you can't build a copy. But does he get paid every time someone looks at the building? certainly not, and why should he? Why indeed. Why do the Eagles, or U2, or any number of musicians, receive payment now for music they wrote 30 years ago? The answer: because they can, that's why, and they will fight tooth and nail to keep this illicit stream of money coming into the coffers. It's just plain wrong. They are the robber barons of the modern age [I love the music, though]. Should artists be paid? of course. Should work be protected? sure. Should creative work be protected for the insanely long time we see now? absolutely not.

Should creative work be protected for the insanely long time we see now? absolutely not.

OK, great, so you ranted on and on about nothing relevant to this discussion, then. The photo's only a few years old.

Point taken. It's just the whole thing irritates me and you are correct I'm a bit off topic. I reserve the right to copy/paste the rant, though:-) Michael

Also off topic:

If copyright law as Wu explained with Fair-Use is not enough of a hot button for ya, consider looking up some of the issues with patenting living organisms. Monsanto was the target of a pretty decent investigative report in Vanity Fair recently (steele and johnson, i think). If royalties get you all riled up, consider the possibilities for bio-monopolies of the world's food supply.

Bono might need all that back-pay in order to fund his crusade against such practices.

Sorry, back to topic...

"But does he get paid every time someone looks at the building?"

Musicians get paid because their music is played, not because people listen to it. Likewise an architect is paid when someone uses a significant part of their design, not when their design (or part of their design) is viewed.