Solving copyright conundrum in canada

Posted on March 30, 2006 by Thomas Purves

copyright debate

Thoughroughly enjoying the copyright debate at iSummit today, In the interest of engaging that conversation, here’s my position on the debate.

I’ve linked up a draft of a policy paper I put together for the McLuhan Institute at UofT a year ago.

Abstract
This paper assesses the Canadian government’s March 2005 proposal for copyright reform specifically focusing on Anticircumvention and Make Available provisions as they relate to sound recordings (phonograms). At the present time, Canadian policymakers are under pressure both from abroad and from interest groups domestically to adopt more a more stringent copyright framework in alignment with standards set by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). It can be argued however that Canada’s continued forbearance on copyright issues related to Internet Downloading and its cautious approach to adopting WIPO WPT and WPPT signifies a laudable leadership in developing a balanced and socially efficient copyright policy in the best interest of both producers and consumers of digital media.

This is a late draft of that paper, I’m still trying to track down the final so please forgive a few likely tyops.

link (ms word format)

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Web 2.0 is Crap and Other viable business models in the 21st century

Posted on March 29, 2006 by Thomas Purves

There’s a lot of buzz these days (in certain circles) about web 2.0, some are even calling it a bubble already. Others are saying, no this time it’s real, web 2.0 [or insert meme here] it’s going to change everything. Your business model is a dinosaur. Get on board or get out of the way …now let me tell you about my consulting rates and so forth.

So what do I think they will they look like, the new dominant business models of the 21st century?

I’ll give you a hint, at the core, they’ll look a lot like business models for the nineteenth century. Some things never change. Like the fundamental forces business economics and strategy. Economies of scale. Economies of scope. Network effects, experience curve advantages and the like.

I will grant you, however, that the basic tools of everyday business are changing. For a lot of individuals and businesses, everyday life will change a little, and for the odd few, life will change a lot.

The intent of this blog is to cast a critical eye on Web 2.0 (itself an awkward name for an ill-defined farago of, at best, loosely related ideas of varying merit – but that’s a whole other post ) as well as the related memes from cluetrain, hughtrain, purplecows, long and short tails, attention/intention economies and whatever else gets the blogosphere buzing next week .

Certainly, with each idea like these there tends to be a kernel of genius, but also much that needs to be put into a proper perspective.

We’ll See how it turns out, but the plan for this blog is to be a critic of new ideas within the space of new technology and ‘the internets’ 2.0.

Once a week or so, all strap on a lovely pair of hubris size XL, and take apart one of the internet’s current Big Ideas to it’s constituent pieces, praise the good bits, or just review these memes like a bad movie.

When it comes to the snark-to-noise ratio, will try to keep a reasonable. Sure, maybe a little snark could be needed if it offers entertainment value or, you know, to shamelessly attract attention through controversy. In general though, I’ll try to focus my criticism on the arguments, not the person. The Internet can be a mean–spirited enough place already.

So today I officially dip my toe in the conversation. Wish me luck.

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