mhenriday 's Techdirt Comments

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  • On the post: Ursula K. Le Guin Resigns From Authors Guild, Because It Didn't Keep Up Its Silly Fight With Google

    mhenriday ( profile ), 27 Dec, 2009 @ 02:38pm

    Amazing that an author like Ms Le Guin,

    whose best works constitute a triumph of the imagination, reveals so little understanding of the changes that new technology will inevitably bring to the way in which readers access books - and which, moreover, will likely benefit both authors and readers. But authors, as a previous commentator have pointed out, do tend to be a flaky lot, and in any event, Google as the «devil» would have been imaginative if Ms Le Guin hadn't been proceeded by the likes of Microsoft, publishers, etc.... Henri

  • On the post: Former Musician Now Lawyer Comes To Terms With What's Happening To His Music Online

    mhenriday ( profile ), 27 Dec, 2009 @ 02:29pm

    As Hamlet put it,

    the readiness is all.... Henri

  • On the post: Elsevier Caught Again: Published Ghost Written, Industry Supporting Articles As Scientific Resesarch

    mhenriday ( profile ), 15 Aug, 2009 @ 12:26pm

    Those fake «journals» are the bane of the profession,

    but they will continue to be published as long as unethical publishers (are there any others ?) like Elsevier can continue to rake in money from pharmaceutical firms, whose representatives foist them on colleagues too busy with patients or (most often) administrative work to take to heart the old adage that «paper never refused ink». As Adam Smith realised, «markets» are not self-regulating, but require outside intervention in order to fulfil their functions.... Henri (PhD, MD)

  • On the post: EU Antitrust Regulator Scolded For Simply Ignoring Evidence In Intel's Favor

    mhenriday ( profile ), 08 Aug, 2009 @ 04:12am

    Overzealous ?

    «The reports says that the executive, who isn't identified, is believed to have told investigators that Dell viewed the performance of Intel rival Advanced Micro DevicesInc. as "very poor."» That's really conclusive evidence, is it not - an unidentified and unidentifiable Dell exec is «believed» to have told investigators that AMD performance (no chips specified) was «very poor». Perhaps you know, Mike, to which chips reference was being made (excuse me, «believed» to have been made) ? The ombudman's report has not yet been released - but it has been «reviewed» by that unbiased source, the Wall Street Journal. I'm no fan of the European Commission, but at least they seem, unlike their US counterparts over at the FTC or the Antitrust Division of the Justice (sic !) Department, to be performing their task of keeping the worst monopolistic practices at bay. If, Mike, you think these activities are exclusively or mainly directed at firms headquartered in the United States, you haven't been doing your homework - huge fines have been and are regularly levied on European firms or groups of European firms that have colluded to stifle competition. So wipe your tears for Intel, Microsoft, and others away, Mike - they don't deserve them !... Henri

  • On the post: Biologic Drugs Likely To Get Separate 12-Year Monopoly Protection Beyond Patents

    mhenriday ( profile ), 07 Aug, 2009 @ 07:09am

    Wasn't it the great Leonardo who said,

    when accused by patriotic Italians of working for the French King, who had invaded the peninsula, that «I work for the man who pays me» ? This may be a misattribution, but the period would certainly do as the collective motto of the majority of members of the US Congress. Too bad that apart from venality, they don't share Leonardo's other talents.... Henri

  • On the post: Perhaps Brain Surgeons Do Use Wikipedia…

    mhenriday ( profile ), 07 Aug, 2009 @ 06:53am

    Bashing Wikipedia is popular in certain circles -

    my impression is that this is often done by those who feel a distinct need to distinguish themselves from hoi polloi. Admittedly, one would not be advised to use Wikipedia to learn the details concerning the lives of certain political figures - in particular from the USA - as such articles can often more closely resemble hagiography than biography - but in general, I find that Wikipedia entries are at least as accurate and impartial as those in more traditional encyclopaedias, not to mention what we read in newspapers.... Henri

  • On the post: Copyright Cops Go After Town For Creating Little Mermaid Statue

    mhenriday ( profile ), 01 Aug, 2009 @ 07:38am

    Greenville, Michigan can consider itself lucky

    that the town has not yet heard from the Walt Disney Company's lawyers - after all, didn't they do an animated film (very loosely) based on Hans Christian Andersen's Den lille Havfrue some years back ? In these later days, when one's thinking is subject to control by copyright, the town is really challanging the fates !...

    Henri

  • On the post: Dutch Court Sides With Anti-Piracy Group; Says Pirate Bay Must Block Dutch Web Surfers

    mhenriday ( profile ), 31 Jul, 2009 @ 09:45am

    Sovereign nations ? In the EU ?

    There are none. Not merely are they subject to the so-called «European Court of Justice» in Luxembourg, but as the case of Gary McKinnon (http://preview.tinyurl.com/n925gu) shows, they are subject to the whims of the US as well....

    Henri

  • On the post: Should Copyright Be Abolished On Academic Work?

    mhenriday ( profile ), 28 Jul, 2009 @ 02:45pm

    Copyrights *and* patents

    The present copyright and patent hysteria is causing enormous damage worldwide. We refrain from confronting the forces which support the present framework at our peril....

    Henri