Z:gnu-www-ja-push-copyright-aside--7e7973-The rules we have now, known a/en

The rules we have now, known as copyright, were established in the age of the printing press, an inherently centralized method of mass-production copying. In a print environment, copyright on journal articles restricted only journal publishers&mdash;requiring them to obtain permission to publish an article&mdash;and would-be plagiarists. It helped journals to operate and disseminate knowledge, without interfering with the useful work of scientists or students, either as writers or readers of articles. These rules fit that system well.