I Am G33k

Free Culture - A movement for the future

2010-12-16T19:37:00.000-08:00

(This was written as a newspaper-style book report for my junior English class)

What is free culture? Is it a movement, a new way to release ideas, or something more? Lawrence Lessig tries to unravel the ideas of free culture, and how it will pertain to the future of world culture as a whole. Lessig, in his book Free Culture, explains how culture has changed with technology. With in depth examples, he expertly explains a way in which the expansion of technology has required a change in a law, and a way in which a superior technology has been stomped down by a more powerful corporation. For his first example, Lessig goes back to the second world war, when aviation technology was just emerging as a central part of life. A farmer made a claim that he owned all of the space above his land, extending into space and beyond (a common belief at the time), and that he could choose whether or not to allow planes to enter his space. The case went to the Supreme Court, who made the decision that “Common sense revolts at the idea.” and established the laws for the control of airspace in the United States that still are in effect today. In this case, the courts made the decision that culture, and the general idea of the time, needed to be changed to fit a growing technology. In his second example, Lessig describes a time when the courts made a decision in the opposite direction of the first one. In this example he explains the case of Edwin Howard Armstrong, the inventor of FM radio. Until Armstrong came along, the less superior AM radio was the standard for consumers. Many thought FM impossible, but Armstrong figured it out, and demonstrated it to some other inventors, who were astounded by the clarity of FM radio. However, at the time, Armstrong was working for RCA, the leading manufacturer of AM radio devices. The invention of FM would mean the destruction of much of their revenue in AM. However, RCA launched a war against Armstrong and his invention, effectively stifling the superior technology. Lessig uses these points to transition to his discussion of free culture, and the use of a superior technology, peer to peer networking, as a means to distribute media. The next few chapters go into the “piracy” that occured in several media standards of today. Lessig then describes the different types of “piracy” today. For more, check out the book at Lessig website, http://free-culture.cc. It is available for purchase and as a free PDF download.

Wisdom of the Day: “A man who mistakes secrets for knowledge is like a man who, seeking light, hugs a candle so closely that he smothers it and burns his hand.”

2010-11-25T10:04:00.001-08:00

“A man who mistakes secrets for knowledge is like a man who, seeking light, hugs a candle so closely that he smothers it and burns his hand.”

Daily Wisdom: Leaders tell us what to feel, poets reflect it.

2010-09-15T18:56:00.001-07:00

Leaders tell us what to feel, poets reflect it.

Just a little quote.

YouTube - Every Lightsaber Ignition & Retraction

2010-08-05T20:23:00.000-07:00

YouTube - Every Lightsaber Ignition & Retraction

I am completed.

Break in a Hacky Sack or a Myachi - wikiHow

2010-08-05T19:56:00.000-07:00

Break in a Hacky Sack or a Myachi - wikiHow - Great Resource from Crazy Ivan

BEDA #1

2010-08-04T17:09:00.000-07:00

Ya, its a little late, but I am going to start up in this. So for my first post, I would just like to tell you a little about myself. I am Conlin Durbin, I live in Greensburg, IN. I am a myachi maniac, and I love to juggle. I coded stuff. Mainly html and javascript. Working on a top secret project called TWST. And a youtube channel in which I build stuff and show awesome computer skills and such. Anyways, thats all for now.
Lets go Digital.