Via CourthouseNews. A judge in Frisco heard the final set of arguments and objections. The basic decision was already pled out by a settlement agreement last year, so the money WILL be paid in some form at some time. Most of the arguments today came from people on the plaintiff side who don’t understand how copyright works. They argued that they deserve more because they included lots of books under one registration number, or because they registered under a pseudonym.
One objector’s argument is legally valid but strategically disastrous. He said that Anthropic should be paying royalties instead of a lump sum since Anthropic is continuing to profit off the works. This is legally and morally true, but revising the agreement at this point would keep the whole mess in the air longer, giving Anthropic a chance to ruin it.
The old vaudeville routine applies inversely here. Normally you should take the plea and Pay The Two Dollars to finish off the mess and get back to living. Here you should take the plea and RECEIVE the two dollars, so the THOUSANDS OF OTHER PLAINTIFFS (including me) can receive THEIR two dollars.
Copyrights and patents were NEVER meant to protect creators. They protect publishers and manufacturers who make multiple copies of a text or image or product. Like any other property, copyrights need to be registered if you want legal protection. The cops won’t return your stolen car if it’s not licensed, and they won’t kick out squatters if your ownership of the house isn’t registered.
Disney’s 1996 purchase of the law gave non-Disneys a false notion that the law is meant to protect creators because they create. “Intrinsic” protection was only for Disney, and they’ve been using it. For non-Disneys, the original principle still operates, though it’s no longer the main economic force.
Polistra's Mill 