dt=book · ported from old Blogger blog

The Public Domain: Why Intellectual Property?

I’m reading The Public Domain: Enclosing the Commons of the Mind by James Boyle (pub. date: December, 2008!). I’ve long struggled with the basic dilemma of intellectual property. (I’ll focus on copyright, though similar arguments apply to patents and trademarks.) On one hand, it makes sense that an author, artist, musician, photographer, etc. ought to… Continue reading The Public Domain: Why Intellectual Property?

dt=book · ported from old Blogger blog

The Public Domain: Why Intellectual Property?

I’m reading The Public Domain: Enclosing the Commons of the Mind by James Boyle (pub. date: December, 2008!). I’ve long struggled with the basic dilemma of intellectual property. (I’ll focus on copyright, though similar arguments apply to patents and trademarks.) On one hand, it makes sense that an author, artist, musician, photographer, etc. ought to… Continue reading The Public Domain: Why Intellectual Property?

dt=book · ported from old Blogger blog

Preface to this (and at least some) future posts

I’ve been wanting to blog more, but haven’t yet gotten into the habit (mindset, paradigm). Part of it is typical habituation, like getting started on eating differently or exercising. Part of it is focus. I have lots I want to say, but am unsure of what to grab onto and write about. And this disconnect… Continue reading Preface to this (and at least some) future posts

dt=slideshow · ported from old Blogger blog

Using social networks for social change: a slideshow

Ivan Boothe has put together a very nicely done slideshow (with voiceover) on using social networks for social change. In this very young field, Ivan is a veteran. He co-founded the Genocide Intervention Network, which has used social networks very successfully to engage members. He is currently the Creative Director of Rootwork, as well as… Continue reading Using social networks for social change: a slideshow

dt=podcast · ported from old Blogger blog

About Civic Capital

I’ve been interested in social capital for many years (though I didn’t have a name for it before reading Robert Putnam’s groundbreaking book Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community.) But I’d never heard the phrase civic capital before hearing it used to describe the effect of Barack Obama’s successful “netroots” campaign. The… Continue reading About Civic Capital

dt=video · ported from old Blogger blog

“Where do people find the time for this participative media stuff?”

Here’s a very interesting 16 minute video (and transcript) by Clay Shirky, given at the recent Web 2.0 conference in San Francisco. It’s a fascinating and inspiring reply to the question, “Where do people find the time [to engage in all this participative media stuff]”? (I’ve been a big fan of Clay Shirky since reading… Continue reading “Where do people find the time for this participative media stuff?”

dt=podcast · ported from old Blogger blog

Ward Cunningham’s About Us venture

I just listened to an interesting podcasted interview with Ward Cunningham, the inventor of the wiki. He’s currently working with a new start-up called AboutUs with a very intriguing premise. AboutUs takes the text from various domains’ “About Us” pages, along with WhoIs information and probably other stuff, and puts it all into a publicly… Continue reading Ward Cunningham’s About Us venture

dt=podcast · ported from old Blogger blog

Valdis Krebs and social network silos

I just listened to a great podcasted interview with Valdis Krebs. I was introduced to the work of Valdis Krebs by Stan Pokras way back when we were publishing the Other Networks newsletter in the early ’80’s. Valdis is a pioneer in the realm of social network analysis (SNA), a disciplined, statistical practice which long… Continue reading Valdis Krebs and social network silos