Copyright Law correction

Actually, Chris’ characterization of copyright law isn’t quite accurate. Unless he’s planning to charge his daughter’s friends to attend the birthday party, he can read a book (or perform music, show a movie, etc) to his heart’s content. Here’s the relevant quote from US Copyright Law, title 17, section 110 “Limitations on exclusive rights: Exemption of certain performances and displays”:

“Notwithstanding the provisions of section 106, the following are not infringements of copyright:
…
(4) performance of a nondramatic literary or musical work otherwise than in a transmission to the public, without any purpose of direct or indirect commercial advantage and without payment of any fee or other compensation for the performance to any of its performers, promoters, or organizers…”

http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#110

Also, as I said in my comment on Mary Hodder’s post, of course news shouldn’t have DRM. But there’s plenty of other content that should have protection against theft. If we can’t protect the right of the creator of content to make money on it, give it away, and to keep other people who steal it from making money off it illegally.