Featuring...


You know, I’m not sure that you can. The more I dig into this, the less I think so. Or at least, not without a whole heck of a lot more work.

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While I think of it, there are a couple of interesting quirks to copyright assignment agreements under USA law.

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In recent years, the term ‘piracy’ has come to be applied to the unauthorized copying of music, movies and computer software. Oodles of sales are lost, we’re told, because of this kind of piracy.

That’s the third kind of piracy. Traditionally, there are two other kinds. The first, of course, is the ocean-going sort, but it’s the second kind of piracy that makes all the others pale into insignificance.

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The humble trademark

By: Tateru Nino

Trademarks are poor misunderstood things.

Way back when, trademarks were called hallmarks, makers’ marks, earmarks and brands.

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The property dichotomy

By: Tateru Nino

Intellectual property is a funny thing. That’s funny-strange, not funny-ha-ha – although I imagine that depends a little on your perspective.

You see intellectual property has an unfortunate name, because it isn’t actually property in the conventional sense and doesn’t conform to the same rules that govern other kinds of tangible or intangible property.

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The library dilemma

By: Tateru Nino

Public libraries – you know, if the library hadn’t already been developed (about 4,000 years ago, give or take), and you were proposing a public library system for books right now, you know what would happen?

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As distribution of music (and movies and television shows including music) go increasingly digital and becoming more and more widespread, composers and songwriters are getting less money, not more. Is this because of wholesale piracy?

No. It’s actually far more interesting than that.

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I recently wrote two pieces on Eros LLC, Shannon Grei vs Linden Research Inc (AKA Linden Lab). One for Massively, and one for The Metaverse Journal.

Now, here’s the question. Based on what you’ve read so far (including coverage by others), how do you think it will work out?


How do you become the richest person in the world in virtually no time at all?

Find a way to stop unauthorized copying of content.

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