It is this code that now lets people copy whatever they want, and this code that gives rise to the copyright panic that Charles Mann writes about. See the rest of Lessig's opening remarks. Let me offer three observations toward understanding the dynamics and choices of the situation. An interplay of social and technological forces is shaping the course of the technology's evolution. Second, there are many ways in which society can choose to pay for the labor of those who create works.
Some approaches even permit differential pricing, which makes works more cheaply available.
In short, the shaping of this element of our social and economic lives is now open to both choices and experimentation. Differences in levels of security and trust are part of what is changing as new devices become more portable, as greater bandwidth becomes available, and as different segments of the information and entertainment industries continue to converge on digital devices. We'll highlight selected readers' remarks as the Roundtable progresses. This applies equally to performing musicians, doctors, architects, consultants, and, indeed, copyright lawyers. See the rest of Barlow's opening remarks.