Wired: Transit officials in New York and San Francisco have launched a copyright crackdown on a website offering free downloadable subway maps designed to be viewed on the iPod.

Words can't describe how much this disgusts me. I can't believe these public agencies have the audacity to so flagrantly abuse copyright law. Whoever is behind this should be fired immediately. Copyright law provides incentive for artists to do what they do, nothing more. Is the transit authority going to stop making subway maps? Yeah, right. These agencies have completely betrayed the spirit of copyright law by twisting it to stifle innovation. The letter from the SF BART says, "There is a widespread belief that materials published by public agencies such as BART are in the public domain. This belief is incorrect." Aren't these public agencies? Doesn't it makes sense for these works to be in the public domain? I really wish William Bright, the iPod Subway Maps maintainer, would take this to court. I'd chip in on a collection to cover the legal bills. The saddest part: Bright is holding off on posting the new maps he created because he's afraid the agencies may come after him for infringing their "color copyright." I can't blame him.