TCS: Tech - Content Is Crap The public water system is somewhat unpleasant to think about. Basically, the stuff you flush down the toilet gets sent through a filtering system. That system "treats" the sewage until what remains is sufficiently pure to send back to you as drinking water.



As content intermediaries, publishers perform an analogous function. Individual software writers, authors, and musicians produce something close to raw sewage. The computer programs, books, and music that people buy are closer to drinkable water.



What Creative Commons lets you do as an author is label your stuff before you flush it down the toilet. If you don't want the sewage treatment plant to filter your stuff and sell the water on its usual terms, Creative Commons lets you have your way. If you think that publishers are stealing your crap, you can stop them.