Comments on: Connecting some dots on owning media http://johnthomson.org/blog/2008/04/23/connecting-some-dots-on-owning-media Thoughts on the social impacts of information and communication technology policy. Thu, 17 May 2012 01:14:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: john http://johnthomson.org/blog/2008/04/23/connecting-some-dots-on-owning-media/comment-page-1#comment-5042 john Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:10:20 +0000 http://johnthomson.org/blog/?p=262#comment-5042 I hesitate to say it, because it sounds alarmist, but I've heard that border guards are on the lookout for pirated materials. It might not be too far off to say that something like a suspicious looking dvd could bring them to search your machine. It's funny to be a collector in the digital world. I'm not quite as open with what I own, but it seems almost like a replacement for the coffee table or bookshelf. Something inherently personal--more than just data. I'm so guilty of being locked into iTunes, and I know it! As much as I'd like to move to 100% linux, I think my new Nike+ has locked me into the mac platform, at least for awhile. I hesitate to say it, because it sounds alarmist, but I’ve heard that border guards are on the lookout for pirated materials. It might not be too far off to say that something like a suspicious looking dvd could bring them to search your machine.

It’s funny to be a collector in the digital world. I’m not quite as open with what I own, but it seems almost like a replacement for the coffee table or bookshelf. Something inherently personal–more than just data.

I’m so guilty of being locked into iTunes, and I know it! As much as I’d like to move to 100% linux, I think my new Nike+ has locked me into the mac platform, at least for awhile.

]]> By: Dan LaValley http://johnthomson.org/blog/2008/04/23/connecting-some-dots-on-owning-media/comment-page-1#comment-5041 Dan LaValley Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:09:07 +0000 http://johnthomson.org/blog/?p=262#comment-5041 I'm something of a collector of books, cds, dvds, etc. Digitizing my music collection has made it much more accessible, and has helped me rediscover and recontextualize works I originally experienced as far back as 20 years ago. I'd like to be able to do the same thing with my video collection - but that's a much more daunting task. To a certain extent, I enjoy sharing these discoveries, preferences and experiences with others. No, not file sharing - but sharing the catalog of my experience with these media (Delicious Library exports, Shelfari, etc.). I probably share too much as the catalogs are online! The popularity of Amazon, Shelari, Flixster, etc. speak to people's identification with self and media consumption. At what point is the line crossed when government or marketing experts start to analyze and use this public data for purposes which weren't intended? On a separate note - if my laptop gets searched at the border and they find mp3s or videos without the original CD or DVD (after all, why would I bring them?) would that be a problem? Or would it simply raise a border guard's suspicion enough to give me a little more thorough search? Regarding the MSN Music shutdown - I think this was/is everyone's great fear of DRM realized. I personally don't like even buying music from iTunes when I can help it. When I have a choice I'll buy DRM-free through Amazon or even better - directly through the artist like NIN, Saul Williams, or Radiohead. I’m something of a collector of books, cds, dvds, etc. Digitizing my music collection has made it much more accessible, and has helped me rediscover and recontextualize works I originally experienced as far back as 20 years ago. I’d like to be able to do the same thing with my video collection – but that’s a much more daunting task. To a certain extent, I enjoy sharing these discoveries, preferences and experiences with others. No, not file sharing – but sharing the catalog of my experience with these media (Delicious Library exports, Shelfari, etc.). I probably share too much as the catalogs are online! The popularity of Amazon, Shelari, Flixster, etc. speak to people’s identification with self and media consumption. At what point is the line crossed when government or marketing experts start to analyze and use this public data for purposes which weren’t intended?

On a separate note – if my laptop gets searched at the border and they find mp3s or videos without the original CD or DVD (after all, why would I bring them?) would that be a problem? Or would it simply raise a border guard’s suspicion enough to give me a little more thorough search?

Regarding the MSN Music shutdown – I think this was/is everyone’s great fear of DRM realized. I personally don’t like even buying music from iTunes when I can help it. When I have a choice I’ll buy DRM-free through Amazon or even better – directly through the artist like NIN, Saul Williams, or Radiohead.

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