post-GPL link dump

Several weeks worth of links, dumped:

• a law firm that actually wants to encourage productivity and efficiency through competition is either brilliant or terrifying, or maybe both.
• I think there is much truth in what Jason is saying about the web; a desktop that provides high-quality free horses and buggies is going to get whooped by advertising-supported cars. The free software desktop may need to start thinking of working with proprietary web services like Stallman and co. used to think of working with proprietary kernels. i.e., until someone builds us a truly open linkedin we should probably go ahead and start using stuff like this, no matter how bad they are abusing the term ‘open.’
• in the end, government funding may make a lot of sense for creation of commons like Wikipedia (see Terry Fisher’s Promises to Keep for an analysis of why it might be the most sensible option) but the lack of competition and market incentives when government gets involved still creeps me out.
• speaking of open music and proprietary web services: some good thoughts on how to make open music mainstream. Most important point: there needs to be a centralized, open-only equivalent of last.fm that combines streaming and recommendations.
• this is a long but fascinating essay on the negative impacts of fear on society, by way of Schneier.
• interesting pondering on the GPL and VCs.
• Google is beginning to push the idea that government censorship of speech is a defacto trade barrier which works against American companies. Bill McGeveran explores/summarizes. This may be the only way to actually resolve the problem Google is trying to tackle, but it is pathetic that we have sunk to the point where we can only defend basic human rights like free speech if we can couch them in terms of the market.
• Steve Jobs may have the best design sense in software, but if you support his company, you’re still selling out the open, competitive, non-duopoly software ecosystem. Moz COO explains.
• This looks like a fascinating set of readings on innovation, collaboration, and infrastructure for the next time I have free time… 2009?