E-label

In today’s society, there has been a huge battle over copyright and digital piracy issues. Warner Music Group has been looking to start there new campaign to compete with iTunes and different online music downloading services. The name of this project is e-label. “It would eschew CDs by allowing artists to issue their music in clusters of three songs every few months…instead of releasing an album every year.” There purpose also is to “revolutionize”, “artists retain ownership of their masters and copyrights while signed to this label.”

Basically Warner Music Group wants a piece of the online music downloading action. They feel that they can make money by trying to regulate the music from the source so the music will never be bought by CD and then transferred to other people in MP3 format. This way Warner can take out the middle man, the stores and lock down on free downloading.

All information was from Recording Industry Update, written by Wes Phillips, http://www.stereophile.com/news/082905recording/

"URL spoofing"

The information age is rapidly changing everyday with innovations. With the growing rate of mobile issued technology, many people turn to using a pocket portable computer, aka. “Pocket pc”, to receive and transfer information, access the internet, and keep in contact with family, friends, and co-workers. But with the growing technology, comes new issues of protection. Hackers can find new ways in which to access people’s personal information. “When browsing the Web via Pocket Internet Explorer, you may click on a link that you think is taking you one place, and wind up on a site you did not want to visit. This malicious redirecting is called "URL spoofing," and it presents a possible security risk for all Pocket Internet Explorer users using the Internet or on an Intranet.” This is still a problem, but supposedly, the user can spot the fake URL and avoid the problem with a little training. The user can visit http://www.airscanner.com/tests/ie_flaw/ie_attack.htm to get more information on how to keep their “pocket pc” from being “spoofed”.

This information was gathered from Pocket PC Magazine, written by Chris of Pocket PC Magazine, http://www.pocketpcmag.com/_archives/May05/directions.aspx. For those “pocket pc” owners, please comment on any experiences that have occurred with this.

"The Tyranny of Copyright?"

The Internet is a college student’s best friend, and I can’t imagine having to pay for every piece of information that comes from there. In the article, "The Tyranny of Copyright?" http://econ.gsia.cmu.edu/ecommerce/The%20Tyranny%20of%20Copyright.htm, a group of scientists and skeptics have formed a group called the, “Copy Left.” They believe in what “Jefferson had originally wanted the people of the United States to believe,” which was that “copywrited material would be copywrited for a limited time and then put out into the public world.” However, there is another group called the, “permission society.” These people support the authors of such copywrited material, and say that the “authors deserve certain compensation for what they have done.” “Aligned against the Copy Left are those who sympathize with the romantic notion of authorship and view the culture as a market in which everything of value should be owned by someone or other.”

My beliefs want to rest upon both groups, and it’s hard to satisfy two opposite view points. However, there may be a way to get unlimited access to materials while still giving the creators/authors their deserved payment and creation rights. “William Fisher, director of the Berkman Center, has spent the last three years devising an alternative compensation system that would enable the entertainment industry to restructure its business model without resorting to cumbersome micro payments. He has worked out a modified version of the system that artists' advocacy groups currently use to make sure that composers are paid when their music is performed or recorded. According to Fisher's plan, all works capable of being transmitted online would be registered with a central office (whether government or independent is unclear). The central office would then monitor how frequently a work is used and compensate the creators on that basis. The money would come from a tax on various content-related devices, like DVD burners, blank CD's or digital recorders.”

Is this possible? Would everyone be satisfied? The only way to find out would mean to try.

Poker Tournament

To all students interested in winning prizes, eating food, and playing some Texas Hold’em Tournament style poker, this is for you. Last year, the first annual poker tournament was born. People of all skill levels came to hang out on that spring Saturday morning, and with the generous 5 dollar entry fee, it made for a good turnout (~200). The day was filled with door prizes, munchies, and of course, poker. The set up of the tournament was done vary well, making sure to keep the game moving without any hang-ups. The amount of people working the event was a major factor in helping to keep order and pace during the tournament. So for all the new players, many skilled people were ready to help you with any question you may have. It was also a very social event, and for those of you who love meeting people, this was a great atmosphere. So, not only are the poker junkies allowed to play, but even the common card player who wants to socialize. With the support of you, students, we can begin the steps in creating a new tradition at UMW.

Internet Material

From the article “Critical Thinking in the Internet Era”, discusses how students today have trouble finding reliable sources on the internet? I believe that being able to find reliable sources is getting tougher. With new technology, websites for the common man can be made as good as the professional websites. So how can anyone find a reliable source? Many professional companies work with colleges to bring about useful ways to get information through the library. This is how the library of UMW works, and the information is right at our fingertips. Check out this URL, http://www.wellesley.edu/CS/pmetaxas/CriticalThinking.pdf, and please comment on what could be said for internet information.

Starting Fresh

This is it. It is official. I am a bum. I have been training for this profession ever since I entered college 2 years ago. My career began to take off just one year ago when I began focusing on procrastination and partying, instead of my work. The result of my affairs was being put on probation by the school and getting 25 hours community service for my careless acts. However, it may have hurt my friends and family, I couldn’t have had more fun relaxing and enjoying life. Now, in my 3rd year of school, I have found a new philosophy to live by, Epicureanism, “behavior in pursuit of pleasure.” And so, laziness is my pleasure, and I am going to pursue with eager attentiveness and hard work! This is going to be a great year, and I’m looking forward to getting a fresh start.