Life in the Network

Wow! This week is, by far, the most interesting group of readings we have read (in my opinion of course!) I really never think about how the Internet creates such a dilemma for so many artists, writers, musicians, professors and other professionals. For example, the book Bound By Law can be found online at http://www.law.duke.edu/cspd/comics/digital.html. Wasn’t this a textbook that we were to purchase? Why would I pay money when I can get it for free online?
Even though I think intellectual property rights are important and should be respected, I do not know a solution (better than CC) for those who want to protect their work. Because, even with CC those creating a work still have to check every single work they want to use to see what rights are reserved and which are not. As well, what if you come up with an idea that you think is yours, but someone else already thought of it and “CC�ed it or even “C�ed it. Barlow hit the nail on the head with “If our property can be infinitely reproduced and instantaneously distributed all over the planet without cost, without our knowledge, without its even leaving our possession, how can we protect it?� The answer or solution maybe in the videos I watched about CC, but I do not think enough people know about this and there will always be individuals who do not know they are using someone else’s idea. Likewise, there are also those individuals who just pretend like none of this is happening. Again, Barlow hits it right on with “Legal efforts to keep the old boat floating are taking three forms: a frenzy of deck chair rearrangement, stern warnings to the passengers that if she goes down, they will face harsh criminal penalties, and serene, glassy-eyed denial.� I love the serene, glassy-eyed denial. Managing this effort is a bear and I don’t think enough politicians are actively involved or care enough about it.
I don’t download music myself, but I do know people who use limewire or other programs to download music. It just doesn’t seem right to them to pay a dollar or more for a song when it is free somewhere else! Obviously this logic is bad because they are still stealing, but when it is so anonymous online, it doesn’t feel as wrong.
I think collaborative work is so great and wouldn’t want the threat of breaching copyright laws to stop individuals from sharing their thoughts. It is my firm belief that the Internet is where shy people can work together more freely because of the anonymity, access to so much information and ideas, and ability to communicate quickly. The creative commons videos cracked me up, but I like the quote that went something like “we can stand on the shoulders of our peers. Like I stated before, this helps the collaboration process. The other tagline was something like from Creative Commons was “It can be that easy when you skip the intermediary.� The middleman is so unnecessary in this IP battle and CC is probably the best solution to it. Creative Commons has created a solution (although not perfect) to avoid the government’s copyright policies. Remember, “If a C is like a red light, a CC is like a green light.�