I see where you're coming from DH (and agree), but at this point maybe it's not such a bad thing to fight fire with fire... especially when people at large are often just gazing at the pretty, flickering flames.
My own feeling is that copyright and IP in general is a complicated, but very, very apropos issue to our present and future, here at defining early days of the information age. The methods and rights we establish today might just resound throughout society for centuries.
The big problem I see is the issue doesn't yet have the super-mass-awareness it warrants. People are still consumed by talk about health-care "reform" and cyber-bullying.
It would be a pleasant surprise indeed if an academic would just once quit relying so slavishly on the published works of his/her colleagues, and instead take a trip over to an R&D lab and see how work is done in the world outside academia. Who knows? Perhaps they might learn that the foregoing processes are much more extensive and nuanced than their publications suggest.
100% Agree.
IMHO the proofs and practices of academia are largely masturbatory, and entirely overrated as a primary (sometimes solely recognized) source of useful advisory and educational services. Then again, I'm biased from personal experience against the collegiate and lower educational systems in place.
True learning happens in the "doing", as does innovation. Theory can get you to the doorstep, but you have to be willing to throw it out from there.
Sarkozy is a head of state. He's in a position to have experts explain these issues to him. I really don't expect politicians to have a personal understanding of each and every issue that will come across their path, but instead to have the wherewithal to consult with those who do when they need to.
So we are in agreement, IP laws are at least somewhat difficult to understand.
You never purchased a limitation of your own rights. You entered into a transaction with specific conditions of your own volition
I agree that is how IP laws and licensing works, I disagree that the terms are valid under the protection of the First Amendment. I also disagree that a contract is valid unless all parties understand their obligations prior to executing the agreement. Your average person on the street, IMO, does not understand what limitations on their rights they have purchased.
You don't have to participate if you don't care for the terms.
The modern concept of licensing intellectual property versus purchasing is not, IMO, all that easy. Sarkozy is a freaking head of state, and he has no idea what violates copyright agreements.
What was an easy concept, is the nauseating feeling I got the first time I realized I was actually purchasing a limitation of my own rights (i.e. First Amendment rights) when I last bought a CD. Legal costs included in purchase price, of course.
Unfortunately, when the DEAct fails* (as it will), the effect will be to prompt the offering of alternative Internet access at a premium on an 'infringement exempt' basis, i.e. effectively a compulsory license fee or Internet tax.
Customers are going to access Google no matter what, and companies like Akamia (sp??) are already in the business of content replication and making a killing off of it. So why wouldn't local ISP's also use it to manage costs.
Yes, "Akamai" (sic) does effectively profit from replicating popular content.
It's just ridiculous for AT&T to be talking about charging more for popular content-providers' bandwidth. For one, the modern AT&T had one of its most successful years ever in 2009 (its good to be king).
And of course there would be no significant ISP business for anyone were there no popular and useful services such as Google.
Thanks for your informative post, G Thompson. If things play out favorably for the consumers in Australia and U.K., perhaps the rest of us will indirectly benefit -- it would seem that a remedy for localized markets would over-complicate firmware maintenance for Sony and perhaps they will make global move for the better.
I've seen plenty of U.S. based license and service agreements in my day, and unfortunately it seems U.S. businesses have to write their own "Quiet Enjoyment" clauses into each contract.
At least when using 802.11, what we have in the iPad is the best flat form-factor, portable Netflix streaming platform available today. Very pretty display, no less that I expected.
And Netflix does not charge extra for the client, as usual.
On the post: Copying Is Not Theft
Re: Re: @42 @darkTHICKHELMET
Disagree. IMO 'Punky' is sublime in contrast to incomprehensibility, faulty attribution and non-sequitur.
On the post: Copying Is Not Theft
Re:
By providing services and products for which there is a demand, of course. Copyright does not create demand.
On the post: Copying Is Not Theft
Re: Re: Re: Sorry...
Getting someone's full attention is actually no trivial task these days.
On the post: Copying Is Not Theft
Re: Just hold on a second...seriously..
Dave's not here man. I mean... Mike.
On the post: Copying Is Not Theft
Re: Re: Re: @darkhlemet
On the post: Copying Is Not Theft
Re: Sorry...
My own feeling is that copyright and IP in general is a complicated, but very, very apropos issue to our present and future, here at defining early days of the information age. The methods and rights we establish today might just resound throughout society for centuries.
The big problem I see is the issue doesn't yet have the super-mass-awareness it warrants. People are still consumed by talk about health-care "reform" and cyber-bullying.
On the post: What If The Very Theory That Underlies Why We Need Patents Is Wrong?
Re:
On the post: What If The Very Theory That Underlies Why We Need Patents Is Wrong?
What AC said...
100% Agree.
IMHO the proofs and practices of academia are largely masturbatory, and entirely overrated as a primary (sometimes solely recognized) source of useful advisory and educational services. Then again, I'm biased from personal experience against the collegiate and lower educational systems in place.
True learning happens in the "doing", as does innovation. Theory can get you to the doorstep, but you have to be willing to throw it out from there.
On the post: Is Intellectual Property A Violation Of Real Property?
Re: Re: Re:
So we are in agreement, IP laws are at least somewhat difficult to understand.
I agree that is how IP laws and licensing works, I disagree that the terms are valid under the protection of the First Amendment. I also disagree that a contract is valid unless all parties understand their obligations prior to executing the agreement. Your average person on the street, IMO, does not understand what limitations on their rights they have purchased.
We are, once again, in agreement.
On the post: Is Intellectual Property A Violation Of Real Property?
Re:
What was an easy concept, is the nauseating feeling I got the first time I realized I was actually purchasing a limitation of my own rights (i.e. First Amendment rights) when I last bought a CD. Legal costs included in purchase price, of course.
On the post: Telcos Still Pretending Google Gets "Free Ride"
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
You're OK in my book DH :D
On the post: Telcos Still Pretending Google Gets "Free Ride"
Re: Re: Re:
On the post: UK Comedy Writer Takes The Digital Economy Bill Seriously... As A Threat To His Livelihood
Re: Bailing out the privileged
That prediction is uncomfortably plausible.
On the post: Telcos Still Pretending Google Gets "Free Ride"
Re: Google should probably get more free rides
Yes, "Akamai" (sic) does effectively profit from replicating popular content.
It's just ridiculous for AT&T to be talking about charging more for popular content-providers' bandwidth. For one, the modern AT&T had one of its most successful years ever in 2009 (its good to be king).
And of course there would be no significant ISP business for anyone were there no popular and useful services such as Google.
Myopic, greedy and entitled... sounds familiar.
On the post: PS3 Owner Given Refund After Sony Makes PS3 Less Useful
Re: Australian Statutory Warranty
I've seen plenty of U.S. based license and service agreements in my day, and unfortunately it seems U.S. businesses have to write their own "Quiet Enjoyment" clauses into each contract.
On the post: PS3 Owner Given Refund After Sony Makes PS3 Less Useful
Re:
Will someone PLEASE think of the "hacker kiddies".
On the post: Daily Variety: We're Putting In A Paywall So We Don't Have To Write About Gossip
Re:
Even if they did have visible standards of corroboration, they're still pushing ho-hos to diabetics.
On the post: Is The iPad The Disneyland Of Computers?
Re: Those who can do, those who cant, teach... at Princeton...
On the post: Is The iPad The Disneyland Of Computers?
Re: Re: Pretty Vacant
True, heat dissipation could be crippled with a stick-pad. Perhaps the true purpose of the iPad is to popularize the euro style man-purse in the U.S.?
On the post: Is The iPad The Disneyland Of Computers?
Pretty Vacant
And Netflix does not charge extra for the client, as usual.
Still, not my cup o' tea.
Next >>