RE: Pirates vs. University Presses

["Joseph Esposito" <espositoj@gmail.com>]

Sigh.  It's worth reminding ourselves from time to time that 
there is no knowledge in a book, there are no ideas in a library. 
Knowledge and ideas can reside in only one place, and that is a 
human brain.  In books and libraries we have the representations 
of ideas.  These representations can be copyrighted, but the 
ideas and knowledge cannot.  We cannot ask the law to do what the 
law cannot do; as Samuel Johnson said, "How small of all that 
human hearts endure / That part which laws or kings can cause or 
cure."  The law cannot make wax figures spring to life or make 
darkness visible. Only Milton could do that, and he did it in a 
poem.

Joe Esposito

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
[mailto:owner-liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Klaus Graf
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 4:39 PM
To: liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
Subject: Re: Pirates vs. University Presses

Spreading knowledge is the same like stealing a book? If the law says this
it is something wrong with the law.

Klaus Graf

2009/2/19 Joachim Engelland <joachim.engelland@engelland.com>:
> I am surprised by the question mark.
>
> There is also no legal difference between stealing a scientific
> book or a collection of poems from a library.