Open source
Openness matters
As usual, Randall Munroe at xkcd gives us a terrific insight in the latest privacy developments: I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. xkcd is a work of unadulterated genius.
Litigation
Microsoft sues cloud computing provider for patent infringement
This one is a bit puzzling. Microsoft holds several software patents, just like any other large tech company. However, they are not known to litigate, and mostly engage in cross-licensing agreements with their portfolio (remember Novell?). But now Microsoft has Read more…
Copyright
Does Spain need to change its copyright law?
(via TechDirt) The New York Times has published an interesting article about how copyright owners are urging for a change in Spanish copyright law (as an aside, I should find another word to describe articles linked in this blog, “interesting” Read more…
Facebook
Can you quit Facebook?
I have been feeling quite smug in the last few days. That is, more smug than usual, a certain kind of cultivated perennial smugness is required if you are an academic, but I digress. My disproportionate sense of self-satisfaction comes Read more…
Cyber-liberties
Moglen on privacy and the cloud
This is a tour de force speech by Eben Moglen. He talks about privacy in the age of the cloud, and how we need to create new services and architectures that free data from the likes of Facebook and Google. Read more…
Off-topic
Twitter, influence and politics
The British general election has finally produced a result after a relatively short period of negotiation and politicking. There is now a coalition in place between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats brought about by a hung parliament (note to non-British Read more…
Cyber-liberties
Cleanternet
This is a wonderful parody video about plans by European Commissioner Cecilia Malmström to introduce a website blocking system in Europe. I find it amusing that some people believe that widespread filtering is usually advocated as a solution to minority Read more…
ACTA
Why ACTA? The shifting international IP political scene
There are various sources of information dealing with the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) online, but there is one point that seems to be covered less. Why is the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) being negotiated at all as a multilateral trade Read more…
Feeling silly
My TED Talk
(via James Burke) Errr…. no, I have not been invited to speak at TED… yet 😉 Check out this great TED Talk generator. Someone has taken 525 published TED talks and created a random generator with it. Here is my Read more…
Copyright
Copyright in money?
An interesting case of art ownership and moral rights is taking place in Costa Rica at the moment. The new 2,000 colones bill will enter into circulation soon. However, there has been a dispute because the author of the portrait Read more…