http://www.techdirt.com/ Easily digestible tech news.... http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130111/17014721646/activist-tells-court-that-since-corporations-are-people-he-can-drive-carpool-lane-with-incorporation-papers.shtml#c459 Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:59:50 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130111/17014721646/activist-tells-court-that-since-corporations-are-people-he-can-drive-carpool-lane-with-incorporation-papers.shtml#c459
(See link)]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121117/01181921082/samsung-wants-to-see-details-apples-htc-settlement.shtml#c75 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 10:03:03 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121117/01181921082/samsung-wants-to-see-details-apples-htc-settlement.shtml#c75 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121116/16481921080/house-republicans-copyright-law-destroys-markets-its-time-real-reform.shtml#c217 Fri, 16 Nov 2012 20:29:12 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121116/16481921080/house-republicans-copyright-law-destroys-markets-its-time-real-reform.shtml#c217 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121025/15541320838/moviepass-offers-unlimited-movie-tickets-2999-month-can-it-ever-hope-to-turn-profit.shtml#c184 Wed, 31 Oct 2012 21:27:24 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121025/15541320838/moviepass-offers-unlimited-movie-tickets-2999-month-can-it-ever-hope-to-turn-profit.shtml#c184
Of course, there's not much scarcity after the first couple of weeks. Usually when I go to a new movie in the theater I'll wait until it's been out for a few weeks and the room will be practically empty. So from the management's perspective, filling it up for $1/seat is better than leaving it empty at any price.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120719/04103519759/new-research-shows-how-copyright-law-is-keeping-useful-info-off-wikipedia.shtml#c393 Sat, 21 Jul 2012 08:08:06 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120719/04103519759/new-research-shows-how-copyright-law-is-keeping-useful-info-off-wikipedia.shtml#c393 What I don't get is this: Anyone can go to the ball park, buy a reasonable ticket, and take all the pictures they like of the players, and GIVE them to Wikipedia. What's the problem?

I'm sure wikipedia contributors do that: today. But the article concerns players from the 1964-1984 time period, a time which is decidedly not today.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120518/07054018969/hollywood-talent-turns-to-kickstarter-to-escape-institutional-censorship.shtml#c46 Fri, 18 May 2012 20:20:40 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120518/07054018969/hollywood-talent-turns-to-kickstarter-to-escape-institutional-censorship.shtml#c46 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120430/07083218708/googles-fiber-makes-mpaa-skittish-why-does-hollywood-see-all-technology-terms-piracy.shtml#c602 Thu, 3 May 2012 08:41:33 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120430/07083218708/googles-fiber-makes-mpaa-skittish-why-does-hollywood-see-all-technology-terms-piracy.shtml#c602 Really what's amazing about this is that the MPAA thinks anyone cares about its opinion of fiber broadband, as if the the public is going to stop and think "gee, I guess I'll just have to wait for faster internet access while Hollywood develops better piracy controls".

See, that's the disturbing part. Even if no productive members of society care about its opinion, the government does (or at least its campaign contributions). Expect to see a bill authored by the MPAA, limiting the fiber optics system, sometime in the future.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120412/03540818464/eu-rapporteur-deals-major-blow-to-acta-recommends-rejection-european-parliament.shtml#c52 Thu, 12 Apr 2012 10:20:56 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120412/03540818464/eu-rapporteur-deals-major-blow-to-acta-recommends-rejection-european-parliament.shtml#c52 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120309/09000418051/stardock-ceo-wants-to-maximize-sales-not-stop-piracy.shtml#c54 Mon, 9 Apr 2012 19:43:59 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120309/09000418051/stardock-ceo-wants-to-maximize-sales-not-stop-piracy.shtml#c54 ...to absorb the revenue lost from piracy

How much does it cost stardock for you to go on thepiratebay and download one of their games, at no cost to them and without depleting their inventory?]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120409/14562618435/no-netflix-has-not-formed-pro-sopa-superpac.shtml#c676 Mon, 9 Apr 2012 19:39:19 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120409/14562618435/no-netflix-has-not-formed-pro-sopa-superpac.shtml#c676 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120402/18140818340/supreme-court-says-you-can-be-strip-searched-when-admitted-to-jails-any-offense.shtml#c81 Tue, 3 Apr 2012 08:54:47 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120402/18140818340/supreme-court-says-you-can-be-strip-searched-when-admitted-to-jails-any-offense.shtml#c81 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120329/11143218297/court-suggests-politically-motivated-border-searches-may-be-unconstitutional.shtml#c394 Thu, 29 Mar 2012 20:02:16 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120329/11143218297/court-suggests-politically-motivated-border-searches-may-be-unconstitutional.shtml#c394 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120326/04530718244/microsoft-spying-live-messenger-messages-censoring-any-pirate-bay-links.shtml#c862 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:51:18 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120326/04530718244/microsoft-spying-live-messenger-messages-censoring-any-pirate-bay-links.shtml#c862
Many computer users run a modified version of the GNU system every day, without realizing it. Through a peculiar turn of events, the version of GNU which is widely used today is often called "Linux", and many of its users are not aware that it is basically the GNU system, developed by the GNU Project.

There really is a Linux, and these people are using it, but it is just a part of the system they use. Linux is the kernel: the program in the system that allocates the machine's resources to the other programs that you run. The kernel is an essential part of an operating system, but useless by itself; it can only function in the context of a complete operating system. Linux is normally used in combination with the GNU operating system: the whole system is basically GNU with Linux added, or GNU/Linux. All the so-called "Linux" distributions are really distributions of GNU/Linux.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120326/11013718248/kim-dotcom-fires-back-raises-questions-about-uss-evidence-shows-studios-were-eager-to-work-with-megaupload.shtml#c520 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:38:34 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120326/11013718248/kim-dotcom-fires-back-raises-questions-about-uss-evidence-shows-studios-were-eager-to-work-with-megaupload.shtml#c520 destroying their jobs.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20120319/13291118161/free-3d-printable-kit-to-connect-different-toy-construction-sets-released-partially-blocked-due-to-patents.shtml#c274 Tue, 20 Mar 2012 08:28:37 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20120319/13291118161/free-3d-printable-kit-to-connect-different-toy-construction-sets-released-partially-blocked-due-to-patents.shtml#c274 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120319/18263718163/wyden-tries-to-get-anti-actatpp-amendments-included-jobs-act-vote.shtml#c241 Tue, 20 Mar 2012 08:02:16 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120319/18263718163/wyden-tries-to-get-anti-actatpp-amendments-included-jobs-act-vote.shtml#c241
Just because the legislation is a good idea doesn't mean Wyden should get away with sneaking it into a bill where it doesn't belong.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120319/17173118162/no-that-wont-backfire-all-questionable-story-about-obamas-daughter-disappears-web.shtml#c60 Mon, 19 Mar 2012 19:49:20 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120319/17173118162/no-that-wont-backfire-all-questionable-story-about-obamas-daughter-disappears-web.shtml#c60
If it wasn't apparently a safe region, there's no way I (as the president, or the secret service, or anyone else who could make the decision) would have anyone related to a major political figure going down there, with or without protection. But since it's a safe region, the point is moot.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120314/14022218109/mpaa-exec-only-we-can-make-content-that-people-want.shtml#c1756 Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:52:25 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120314/14022218109/mpaa-exec-only-we-can-make-content-that-people-want.shtml#c1756 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120127/09220417564/things-you-learn-when-you-send-freedom-information-act-request-about-what-govt-knows-about-you.shtml#c598 Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:35:54 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120127/09220417564/things-you-learn-when-you-send-freedom-information-act-request-about-what-govt-knows-about-you.shtml#c598
Those were the days, when angry dude and Weird Harold were the reigning trolls...]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120224/14261717872/judge-dumps-epics-ridiculous-lawsuit-trying-to-force-ftc-to-stop-googles-privacy-policy-changes.shtml#c16 Fri, 24 Feb 2012 19:06:44 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120224/14261717872/judge-dumps-epics-ridiculous-lawsuit-trying-to-force-ftc-to-stop-googles-privacy-policy-changes.shtml#c16