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Free-ks Me Out
"With deepest apologies to Mark Knofler and Dire Straits"

For getting his name wrong, or butchering his song?

Sorry. I'm a middle-aged crank who vividly remembers watching The Beatles' debut on Ed "Solomon" (for those of you who remember little Topo Gigio, the malaprop mouse puppet) 40 calendars ago (yeah, I even talk like an ancient mariner), so you can stereotype me as hopelessly unhip when it comes to preserving a modicum of sanctity re copyright protection.

To assume the de rigeur sniping sarcasm of this board ... what a coincidence that virtually none of the iconic thought leaders who preach "Free" are in the for-profit workplace. They typically hail from academe and think tanks and public interest groups. If I'm wrong, it's not by much.

Ironically, the folks who have predictably knee jerk reactions to corporate Goliaths like Disney -- the "Big Is Bad" ethos -- are using the same child-like anthropomorphism ("Information wants to be free" = lovable Mickey Mouse) that cast Walt as a genius and his highly-profitable-under-Mr. Eisner legacy a transcendent cultural force without peer.

Are those who insist that what they want should be free because they don't want to pay for it any less tyrannical than those they accuse of bilking? No, just less wealthy. If there's a business case to made for "Information wants to be free," fine. First, replace the glib sloganeering with an economic model. That works.

No, I don't work for a corporation. I work for a not-for-profit. But I don't work for free. Do you?
Posted by: DVDJ   Posted on: 02/09/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Losing Focus  Chad_z | 02/08/04
Interesting Analysis  Fred Fredrickson | 02/08/04
It Is  Bobby Sskcat | 02/08/04
Re: Losing Focus  GraysonPeddie | 02/08/04
Partnerships are the future  Christian_<>< | 02/08/04
I have just three letters for you.......  nucrash | 02/09/04
Lambaste from the past: You must buy WIn-XP  David Mohring | 02/08/04
(NT) Good one! :o)  Jack-Booted EULA | 02/09/04
Dude! Set up a paypal so you can record it!  Xunil_Sierutuf | 02/09/04
Free-ks Me Out  DVDJ | 02/09/04
Partnership should work great  issthatso | 02/09/04
The Alliance of Alliances  nucrash | 02/09/04
In light of the Pixar-Disney divorce...  Jack-Booted EULA | 02/09/04
And Pixar is run by Steve Jobs  j.m.galvin | 02/09/04
Geez.. What's worse, DRM or Disney movies?  Xunil_Sierutuf | 02/09/04
What crap next, Pixar and $un  FilledOut | 02/09/04
Pixar stink?  nucrash | 02/09/04
Mr. Eisner better wish upon a star---  Userama | 02/09/04
an irrelevant quote  ryusen | 02/09/04
It was about time!  michael-t | 02/09/04
Truly amazing and well worth noting in the article  Richard Flude | 02/09/04
as if  optimaloptimusprime | 02/15/04

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