08 Apr 2004
Content Killers

Here's a couple of tales of the unquenchable desire of the content industry to kill the goose laying those golden eggs.

These people seem to be completely unable to learn anything from history. They are simply hell bent for leather to insure that no "creative content" ever, ever escapes their greedy grasp.

The next ten years are going to be real interesting for our culture - how much is going to be locked down forever, and what are the long term consequences going to be? Courtesy of the "IP Industry", we'll find out.

Will HDTV antipiracy plan unplug digital networks?

Hollywood wants to control the connections used in new high-definition TV sets. If it wins, home video recording may never be the same again, critics say.

(link) [CNET News.com]

FCC to look at digital radio piracy?

Consumer groups say regulators are planning an unexpected focus on content protection for new radio services.

(link) [CNET News.com]

00:00 /Copywrongs | 0 comments | permanent link

Making customers miserable the Microsoft way

It's not just the Microsoft way, really... this has serious echos of The Age of Access, the only bit of writing or thought by Jeremy Rifkin that I've ever come close to agreeing with. Normally, Rifkin's off the deep end, but in this book, highlighting the trend towards "leasing, not buying" and "renting, not owning", he was a bit ahead of the curve.

Corporations are getting rid of real property (factories, warehouses, inventories) and employees in favor of leases, service contracts, JIT (just-in-time) production, outsourcing, offshoring and temps.

Millions of us no longer own our cars, we lease autos with service contracts and two-year upgrade options. We renting or leasing everything, as opposed to buying it.

Very scary book, very scary trend.

ITM Associates CEO Ian Altman writes that Microsoft's Software Assurance program is putting a squeeze on customers.

(link) [CNET News.com]

00:00 /Technology | 0 comments | permanent link

Push Is On to Give Legal Immigrants Vote in New York

Un-freaking believeable! Voting is a right reserved to citizens. I don't care if you're here legally, illegally or otherwise - if you don't want to bother becoming an American citizen, you should not be able to vote in American elections. Period. End of discussion.

Elected officials, labor unions and community groups are starting to advocate the notion of allowing immigrants to vote in the New York City elections.

(link) [New York Times: NYT HomePage]

00:00 /Politics | 0 comments | permanent link