That's an interesting alternative view -- that it's just a pointless rant. It might be, but I think it's actually really an important topic and I want people to be more aware so our rights are protected.
I think a lot of people, like myself, are frustrated at the way publishers and studios have taken a control mentality in their approach to content. (As opposed to a much more open view of many others, such as Cory Doctorow, Mark Cuban, etc.)
I think there are a lot of writers are frustrated also at the way they lose control of how their materials are handled, and there's a lot of good materials out there that are locked up by publishers who have legal control, but don't consider it worth their while to print. (Google for Jeff Kirwin's writing on this, for example.)
On the technology side, I've seen it first hand. You really are locked in to a technology once your data is tied up with it, and applications are tied to it. It becomes a frustrating and wasteful game, exaggerated by the rapid changes in the leading technologies. You jump on the leading technology with the most promise of stability, and then 5-7 years later it has to be replaced. My company has taken a very wise and careful balance in its approach to technologies adopted and has avoided a lot of problems, but there's only so much you can do with the rapid changes and the need to accomplish more and faster.
So from my perspective, I really feel like Dan has hit the nail on the head when he considers these issues critical and important and relevant. I think that how much you pay for entertainment and printer cartridge replacements and phone service and internet service and wifi and etc etc are all wrapped up in how lawmakers treat these control issues. The studios try to make it sound like the consumers are winning, but I'd say they still have too much power. For example, my favorite is the length of copyright protections. Past the lifetime of the author seems way too long. And control of Mickey mouse cartoons from ancient days... does that really help the public good, or just the studios?
So I guess it's really a matter of perspective. Do you believe that it really matters, and it's important to increase public awareness if we ever hope to battle the big corpporations, or is it just another silly rant. (Like the silly rant I just got on, I guess!
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Originally Posted by PhillyPocket
Don't people get tired of these pointless headline grabbing rants? ... I guess he misses the fact that DRM is a publisher issue, not a provider issue but I guess a computer company is an easier target that an amorphous "Hollywood".
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