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An Unpopular View of Google Books
I’m starting to feel like the only person who thinks the Google Books settlement with authors and publishers is a good deal. One voice that seems not to be hear…
Larry Downes
Recent articles
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What the Intel / AMD Settlement Doesn't Mean
Intel and AMD announced today that they were settling their many antitrust and patent disputes, with Intel to pay $1.25 billion and the two companies to cross-l…
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The Bilski Case and the Future of Software Patents
My view on today’s Supreme Court case regarding business method and software patents appears on Slate.com's "The Big Money." (See http://larrydown…
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Hollywood: Wanted Dead or Alive
Two recent articles with competing views of the fate of Hollywood content producers caught my attention. The first, by CNET’s Greg Sandoval, reiterates long-st…
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War Correspondence: The Digital Revolution's Dangerous Turn
An article in Sunday's New York Times by Chris Nicholson brings home an important lesson about digital life under The Law of Disruption. When social contrac…
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Nokia v. iPhone: Business as Usual, Alas
If you can’t beat ‘em, sue ‘em. Earlier this week, Nokia filed suit in the U.S. to force Apple to pay royalties on Nokia patents involving cell phone technolog…
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FCC's proposed neutrality rules: Nothing to see here, folks
My analysis of the FCC’s proposed neutrality rules appears this morning on CNET. No surprise, I think the FCC’s plan is a bad idea, and I think, more to the po…
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Identity Theft: Not Dead Yet
Julia Angwin’s column in The Wall Street Journal argues that identity theft is nothing but a “fear campaign.” Not exactly. I also have some strong words about…
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FTC to Bloggers: Drop that Sample!
The Federal Trade Commission has announced plans to regulate the behavior of bloggers. Unfortunately, not their terrible grammar, short attention spans or inex…
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More Fallout and Falling Out Over Net Neutrality
The fallout continues from FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski’s promise to initiate new rulemaking to implement Net Neutrality principles promised by candidate Oba…
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IBM Back in the Antitrust Crosshairs: Deja Vu Mixed with Vertigo
Sources cited by The New York Times indicate the U.S. Justice Department has once again opened an antitrust investigation against IBM. Remember IBM? The new i…
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PATRIOT Act: Last Refuge of Scoundrels
“Patriotism,” as Samuel Johnson famously said, “is the last refuge of a scoundrel.” In that sense, perhaps the USA PATRIOT Act is appropriately named after all…