The editorial writer of the above piece wholeheartedly invited the readers to listen to
John Perry Barlow's [a former lyricist for the Grateful Dead, later co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation] Cato Institute speech and so do I - it's a damned good speech and kept me captivated for the 30 minutes it lasted. What was it about? Well, many things: about the fundametal nature of information and life; about the ecology of ideas and how it differs from material economies; about Napster, the RIAA and the effects of copyright legislation; about the commercial fencing of our shared cultural heritage by a few media monopolies. Barlow is a brilliant and well-informed speaker with a positive vision of the potential of the Internet. Check this one, it's good.
- tg