Ed Foster on What Could Have Been

Looks like bad news for RIAA and MPAA.

U.S. Supreme Court
April 1, 1905

[...] Therefore, in the matter of defendant Thomas Alva Edison versus respondent the Book Authors Guild and respondent the Sheet Music Publishers Association, this court unanimously concurs with the lower court’s decree.

In inventing and offering for sale his “moving picture” and “phonograph” devices, the defendant induced countless infringing acts against the holders of copyrights for books and music [...]

All “record” companies and “film studios” most disgorge their ill-gotten gains and henceforth cease and desist all operations now and forevermore.

Excerpted from Copyright Decision Deals Blow to New Technology [via]