#SaveOurInternet 21: Freebooting, Etymologically Regarded

ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, 6, SEVEN EIGHT NINE!!
The ten pirate commandments!

This morning, the Piratenpartei published what they deem the ten most important issues that should be addressed in reforming the current copyright law (here). As it is only available in German, here is an English translator:

1) The term of protection shall be shortened to 10 years post mortem auctoris. Among other things, this would alleviate the orphan works problem.
2) Authors' shall receive stronger rights vis-à-vis right holders: authors shall regain their rights faster in case of non-exploitation and exclusive licences shall be limited to a maximum term of 25 years.
3) Beyond the initial purchase price, institutions of public education shall not be required to pay for using copyright works.
4) Libraries shall be entitled to store works in digital archives; free access for educational purposes shall be guaranteed.
5) The right to make private copies shall be defined and guaranteed; the creation of "remixes" and "mashups" shall be facilitated. Technological protection measures and digital rights management shall be abolished.
6) Basically the same as 2): reform of copyright contract law.
7) Private, direct, non-commercial file sharing and the passing on of works shall be de-criminalised.
8) New business models shall be developed (for instance "micropayment", crowd funding, levies). Authors shall receive equitable remuneration but data protection must be guaranteed; mutual trust and new distribution channels are essential.
9) The practice of sending warning letters to private individuals (asking them to cease and desist from infringing copyright and to pay the incurred attorneys' fees) shall be stopped; in order to have free WLAN networks, the concept of "Störerhaftung" ("disturbance liability" - secondary liability for someone else's infringement due to a breach of duty care) shall be abolished.
10) Copyright law shall meet the expectations of contemporary "media savvy" users and shall not restrict creative uses.

In addition, the Piratenpartei has appealed to authors, right holders and users to participate in a constructive dialogue on copyright law, with public debates concerning the following topics: collecting societies, rock and pop culture, classical music, authors/journalists, creators of films, software, and education/school (here). For each topic, there is a document on the Piratenpartei's website where anyone interested can add questions or comments to be discussed in the respective debate.

HISTORY OF ENGLISH

Now here's my Christmas present for all you blog readers!
A series of instructive videos made by Oxford University, of interest for any lexicologist...
1. In which the Empire falls, the Saxons arrive, and Beowulf is written in Old English, aside from the Viking raids so common in the Dark Ages:

2. In which the French (otherwise known as Normans) arrive, win a decisive battle, unify the Saxon kingdoms, and change the language forever:

3. In which a chap from the Cotswolds writes a series of tragedies and comedies at the turn of the seventeenth century, supplying the English language with oodles of winged words:

4. In which, as Shakespeare writes his plays, the Protestant Reformation urges King James to translate the Good Book into English, supplying the language with even more winged words:

5. In which the Enlightenment causes a progress in life and health sciences, which also affects the English lexicon:

6. In which imperialism and the subsequent contact with strange nations shape the lexicon of English even further:

7. In which some Enlightened lexicologists decide to put some order into the English language by means of an official dictionary:

8. In which the language develops, in the States, in parallel with its British variant:

9. N wch th lxcn of th Eng lang s rvltnzed (or rther, btchrd) by th apprnc of IT, SMS, & scl
ntwrx =" like Fcbk:

10: In which a meditation of the future of the English language ensues: