update: Mr. Kapica emailed me back to say that a bunch of letters he recieved in response to the article, including mine, have been posted by the globe here. Now I kind of wish I’d proof read it.

The Globe and Mail has a fairly good article in today’s edition regarding the relationship between file sharing/piracy and intellectual property rights generally. It’s about as nuanced a discussion as I’ve seen in the mainstream media, which is to say not very, but still a large step in the right direction. It panders a little by playing bait and switch with a couple of apocalyptic scenarios, but I guess the guy has to make a living.

Here’s an excerpt,

And so the nightmare begins.

This isn’t only about an industry asking to be compensated for profits it feels it has a right to earn. It’s about all industries with intellectual property ? and there are many….Of course, the reality will likely be dramatically different. The present fear is founded in current business practices, many of which have yet to be adapted to the digital age. After regarding videocassette recorders as apocalyptic inventions, for instance, Hollywood modernized and has made huge profits from videotaped films.

and here’s the link to the full story

Push to change piracy laws is unwise

I emailed this to the journalist

Hi Jack,

I’m pleased to see that someone in the national media is attempting to grapple with the whole issue rather than breaking it down into over-simplifications. Intellectual property issues effect [sic]us deeply, but currently mostly invisibly. If file sharing is the topic that cracks open this debate just before we start making decisions about WIPO, then it’s just in time.

Hugh