Selling Wine Without Bottles

In this essay, John Perry Barlow discusses the challenges and changes brought about by the digital age on traditional concepts of intellectual property.

He argues that the ability to convey ideas without physical expression has led to attempts to own ideas themselves, rather than just their physical expressions.

Barlow critiques the extension of copyright and patent laws to abstract concepts like virtual events and mathematical formulas, highlighting the tension between the free exchange of ideas and the legal frameworks designed to protect them.

The essay is part of Barlow's broader work on the nature of cyberspace and its impact on society and law.