Re:Popcorn Time in Your Browser
by orbifold on Tuesday May 19, 2015 @07:07AM
(#9569134)
I'm pretty sure if it were possible to create atom for atom identical copies of every van gogh the value of the "original" would plummet. Of course in the real world we have no-cloning theorems, so that isn't possible, information however can be copied at (almost) zero cost and therefore the value of a copy should approach its share of the production cost, which rapidly approaches zero as more copies are made.
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I disagree. People would still pay more for the one Van Gogh laid his hand upon. After all if you just wanted to look at the painting you can buy a very high quality reproduction today -- you'd need an expert to know it's a fake. Even experts can be fooled by good forgeries.
Re:Popcorn Time in Your Browser
by JupiterMoon on Tuesday May 19, 2015 @08:15AM
(#9569451)
Just out of interest. With an atom by atom copy how would one work out which is the original?
By tracking the location history of the object. That's actually how much of the art world protects against forgery. Forgers are very good at copying art works, but artists' estates keep a record of what an artist actually produced.
Just to add on to dash2's comment, the art collection world relies on provenance. Most large art museums (in the US, at least) rarely buy from private collectors for this reason. Items from private collectors are usually donated, and if an item is purchased, it is either through auction (usually the big houses like Sotheby's) or from well-trusted dealers.
Re:Popcorn Time in Your Browser
by Lawtonfogle on Tuesday May 19, 2015 @02:05PM
(#9571955)
You can copy atom for atom, but you can't copy sentimental value.
Of course, the problem is that we could actually lose the ability to assign sentimental value to any one of them. Immagine 10 identical Mona Lisas, only one of them real with the knowledge which since lost. The collection would be worth a lot, but what would be the price of 1 of them?