Something useful from Slashdot for a change: The New Yorker has a short article on how restrictive handling of patents (in this case) stifles innovation and social welfare. If you like things more scientific, there’s an "experimental investigation of anticommons dilemma", showing what happens when everyone insists on monopolising their little idea. And there’s also Read more »
North Korea, a country hitherto not noted for its entertainment value, is putting on its first rock festival. Jean-Baptiste Kim, a South Korean born Frenchman who’s running the "Voice of Korea" site, invites bands from all over the world. Intent on brushing up the hermit kingdom’s image, he highlights that "This is the very first Read more »
There’s a new book out that looks sympathetic even to a non-techie like me: Wireless Networking in the Developing World The massive popularity of wireless networking has caused equipment costs to continually plummet, while equipment capabilities continue to increase. By applying this technology in areas that are badly in need of critical communications infrastructure, more Read more »
Finally, a music sort-of-major has noticed that suing your customers might not be the most effective form of marketing. As El Reg reports, the Canadian label Nettwerk, which manages Avril Lavigne and Dido, is intervening in a case where the RIAA is suing a family over alledgedly illegal downloads of music. The privately-owned Nettwerk Music Read more »
With Google reluctant to help its country out by handing over user’s search records, other people understand better what the obligations of a citizen of the United States of America are. On Patriot Search, you can be sure that your search information is reliably transmitted to the government. Thanks to their Search Syntax, you can Read more »
As discussion rages around search engine records going to US courts (“Would you please hand over the data for all searches containing the letters ‘p’, ‘o’, ‘r’ and ‘n’ ?”), someone has designed a Google 2.0 screenshot. Nice. via netzpolitik.org
Another day, another ruling: A Nevada Court has decided that Google’s practice of caching websites is legal. While not that embattled to boot, this clears one of several questions concerning standard search engine practices. The EFF is happy. Me too. If Google’s cache had been declared illegal, what would have been next? My computer’s RAM, Read more »
The copyright arms race has reached new heights: The Vatican has chosen to enforce its copyright to the words and writings of the pope. While I still marvel at the idiocy of this, the Holy See is quick to clarify that this is not about money, but about censorship: Vatican officials explain that their goal Read more »
Things are starting to move again at WIPO.. With the first meeting of a Development Agenda Committee due at the end of February (I have my plane tickets already), Chile has submitted an interesting proposal (.pdf). Core points are: Proposal 1: Appraisal of the public domain Proposal 2: Importance of complementary systems to and in Read more »
Dragging its feet as usual, Microsoft has taken the next step in the European monopoly lawsuit. The company has promised to let other people look at its server source code to appease the European Commission, which has already slapped Microsoft with a hefty fine. So what’s the problem? There are several. For one, noone ever Read more »