For direct-from-the-source updates on the DVD trial(s) going on, go to OpenDVD.org.

"The interface between bodies, brains, and technology is an area of daunting theoretical and practical possibilities," said Sententia, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in Utopian literature and theory.

It's too early to worry much about. Our job today is to solve the problems posed by the Internet, and there isn't much evidence that we as a species are capable of even that.

Internet abuse "merely" means that your rights are infringed... in that era, it could mean your mind being trapped or re-written.

The article shows the completion of the pattern I see: With each new generation of technology, from writing to print to the Internet to direct mental communication, the issues get correspondingly more complex, and the potential damage done by abuse gets higher and higher.

Only the "complete freedom" is a candidate for "wacko-ness". After the Internet enables every possible non-mind-to-mind communication mode, the only place left to go is into the mind itself. The abuses possible in that form of communication boggle the mind. Wondering about cognition and the effects of new modes of communication that result are right in line with what this site is concerned with.

I know at first blush this article seems crazy, but think about it for a moment. There are two reasons it seems wacko: First, it talks about the future of cognition and how it will change the world, and second, it advocates complete freedom of cognition.

DaveNet: Killer patents. "Fink believes that patents are useless as an offensive weapon, when consumers find out what they lose, they'll penalize any vendor that uses them." I wish I could be that optimistic... that statement tends to assume an informed customer... a novelty on today's internet.

I'm with Dave on this one: I write for readers not skimmers. Consider that fair warning.
RIAA Sues MP3.com: He [Bob Cohn] said all Internet companies are on the side of the RIAA, including the Digital Media Association, which includes AOL, Real Networks, and Liquid Audio. I hate to say it, but I'm on RIAA's side too. (Ouch... that hurt me to say.)
Small Win for CA DVD Hackers: They didn't have to submit code-bearing T-shirts as evidence in the case. I think I want one.

I shut off the pre-loading of the plus and minus images. No browser I've used has been caching them, and there's no point to loading those images on every page you load.