The One About Someone Out There Finally Gets It!

[Toriach]

(This article originally appeared at The One About...)

I'm a techno junkie, but being a poor techno junkie I'm pretty much restricted to reading and salivating about the latest gadgets to come down the pike. However just because I don't own a lot of these high end, and rather expensive things doesn't mean that I don't pay attention to what is going on as regards their development.

I followed the hoo-hah regarding file sharing and illegal music downloads for years before I actually was able to afford an MP3 player, and the development of E-books has been no different. I've seen the very early ones come along, and I've been reading all about the Kindle and the pros and cons of that device.

Then the other day I come across the news that Barnes and Noble is going to be launching their own electronic book device. Okay, well I guess that's (Yawn) interesting.

But then when I was reading a round up about the new device called a Nook, over at The Week's website, I discovered something that really made me sit up and take notice. You can “lend” your books to other Nook users. And in a move that surely should mollify all but the most churlish of intellectual property champions, anything that you lend is not accessible on your unit for the duration of the loan. Just like what would happen if you lent out a real book.

How simple, and yet how brilliant, a way for people to share E-books, and yet there is no risk of copyright violation. My only question is why in the hell didn't anyone think of this ages ago. Frankly it would have helped to forestall at least some of the problems, and would have given the record companies a way to prove they were not actually as backwards and money hungry as frankly they have appeared and still appear to be.

Perhaps this should stand as a lesson to others about what you can accomplish when you expend more energy trying to solve a problem than defending an ultimately untenable and unworkable position. Are you listening traditional media?

Keep The Faith My Brothers And Sisters!

[JOHN]

I think Rodin's "Thinker" is actually contemplating what he should have for lunch. The Chicken salad left over from last night or the turkey and cheese?

Now since his stomach is probably beginning to growl, the decision will probably be made out of necessity- hunger.

Once belly full, he can go on with his thinking.