The copyright law is now facing overwhelming social discontent that challenges its legitimacy. Piecemeal amendment no longer suffices. Several attempts have been made in recent years to search for de lega ferenda copyright law for the US, European Union and WTO: Pamela Samuelson's Copyright Principles Project, European Copyright Code by the Wittem Group and Proposals for Amendment of TRIPS by the Intellectual Property in Transition Project. This paper first studies, analyzes the assertions put forward by these efforts, and summarizes their common themes. It then embarks on a quest for the ideal copyright law for Taiwan based on the practices on the ground. It is suggested that a comprehensive copyright code is to be desired that includes law on collecting societies and law on copyright contacts. Any further expansion of copyright must not be pursued unless the criminal sanction against non-commercial infringement has been dropped and the collective exercise of rights be implemented. The principles for de lega ferenda copyright law should include: strengthening provisions on collective exercise of rights, imposing certain obligation on right-holders, exempting personal use, ensuing work creators get a fair share of the economic fruits of their creation, and incorporating competition law concerns.