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
(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
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
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
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
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
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
(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
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
The day begins with delegates locked in informal negotiations, so it is likely that I will not be able to report much today because I have to fly back to Edinburgh. Word in the hallways is that there were closed Read more