Re: Chapter on Open Source in Friedman's _The World is Flat_

Brian Behlendorf wrote:
> 
> Tom is updating his book for the paperback edition and asked if I had 
> any updates on Open Source for him; I thought I'd play along with the 
> theme and open the query to anyone else here, and pass responses back to 
> him. I don't know of a convenient way to read the chapter online, though 
> there are used copies on Amazon for $14.
> 
>     Brian

   Looked, but couldn't find that chapter online.  Maybe he'll be 
interested to put it up on a WIKI somewhere to get the best feedback.

http://www.holtzbrinckpublishers.com/FSG/search/SearchBookDisplay.asp?BookKey=2193830


   Only suggestion I have (not having read it) is to ensure that some of 
the stuff that is happening at WSIS and WIPO (Development Agenda) with 
the majority-world countries realizing the power of peer production and 
the benefits for them vs "knowledge manufacturing" and "software 
manufacturing" that represents a trade deficit for every country but the 
USA.  This is why the USTR/USPTO is fighting to hard internationally to 
impose protectionist rules to protect incumbents from competing 
models/etc (software and other information process patents, interface 
copyrights, legal protection for TPMs that falsely claim to protect 
copyright, government programs that use "royalties collected" and 
"number of patents" as metrics, etc).


   While there is quite a bit of movement with companies and governments 
adopting FLOSS, including more and more support companies, I believe 
that mentioning what the incumbents and their government sponsors are 
doing to fight is interesting.  DMCA, software patent directive in the 
EU, ineffective anti-trust remedies that exclude FLOSS, etc...

-- 
  Russell McOrmond, Internet Consultant: <http://www.flora.ca/>
  http://www.digital-copyright.ca/blog/2 (My BLOG)
  Sign the Petition Users' Rights! http://digital-copyright.ca/petition/
  To protect Internet age creativity we must reform WIPO, not copyright!