Copyright in a Digital Age

摘要

From its earliest origins, the subject of copyright has generated controversy. Thomas Cahill, in his book How the Irish Saved Civilization, tells the legend of a sixth-century Irish monk who, loving nothing more than beautiful books, painstakingly hand copied an intricately designed and highly prized Psalter that belonged to his master. The monk was discovered and brought before the king. Acknowledging that the original belonged to his master, the monk nevertheless argued that he had worked long and hard to create the copy and that it should, therefore, belong to him. But the king delivered his verdict: "To every cow her calf; to every book its copy." And with that decree, the monk returned the copy of the coveted Psalter, and one of history's first copyright cases was settled.