On Sun, 2007-10-14 at 10:01 -0700, Lucas Gonze wrote: > Eric M. Hopper wrote: > > On Sun, 2007-10-07 at 09:27 -0700, Lucas Gonze wrote: > > A minor nit here. OpenID is also dependent on DNS. That doesn't really > > detract from your point, but I would still like to note that OpenID is > > subject to centralized control via DNS.
> Eric, that is so the least of our problems. Y'know what's really a > problem? The users could care less about self-determination. Their > only goal is to make the pain of understanding how to use the computer > go away. They not only don't care about whether they are empowered or > fucked over by a technology provider, they don't even have the concept > of empowerment. You can bring it up if you want, but you might as well > be revealing yourself to be a Raelian for all the communication you will > accomplish. Similarly, the average consumer could give a rats ass about your "economic scenarios," or performing the role of rational actor those theories so cherish. </sarcasm> In all seriousness, do you truly believe consumers enjoy getting shit on? Because the core principle of most basic economic theories is that consumers rebel against just those situations. Now, we can talk about market consolidation, and why that has largely eliminated consumer choice in *some* key areas, but isn't P2P at least partly about making sure that doesn't happen to content as well? And unless you missed it, where there is danger from consolidation, there are large movements, such as net-neutrality, pushing back. I see no indication in the content wars that are now being unleashed on the web space that consumers enjoy getting screwed over. Every time the recording labels have pushed a DRMed storefront, it's failed. Amazon is going DRM free. Ipods are filled with MP3s, not DRMed-AACs. How's HD-DVD and BlueRay adoption coming along again? And no, this isn't about "information wants to be free," but about consumers who want the convenience of having file copy work between two IPods or hard drives. But yes, lets give up on empowerment and social ideals...all P2P is good for is solving server room business problems. Cheers, Cyrus _______________________________________________ p2p-hackers mailing list [email protected] http://lists.zooko.com/mailman/listinfo/p2p-hackers
