Disqus - Friends of Ideas_R_Bulletproof

Re: Is Flickr Letting Down its Users?

jimgoldstein — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:44:34 -0000

Great write up Jonathan.
Two points of clarification...
1. I do see the core of responsibility falling on Flickr as they can regulate how their API works and more strictly regulate requirements of that API use around set image licensing. The API forbids access to private photos. I see no reason why it can't for All Rights Reserved. Granted that is extreme, but it proves my point they can do something.
2. I would argue that Myxer was indeed "selling" Flickr photos. The photos were coming up as results in an e-commerce site. The value of those products were set at $0. They have a mechanism of selling/subscribing and opted to value that work at $0. There is nothing to say that values wouldn't change at a moments notice. On top of that their system to this date still distributes copyrighted material illegally. Case in point in the realm of photography with this photo of Michael Jordon http://www.myxer.com/wallpa...
As I posed the question to a commenter of my blog post. What is worse someone selling your photo or giving it away for free? It is the same in my eyes as someone is assigning value to your work who does not have the right to do so and then distributing it.

Re: The Facebook TOS Controversy

jimgoldstein — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:27:28 -0000

A few items to clarify....
Actually you can't delete an account on Facebook you can only "Deactivate" an account.
While Facebook doesn't claim ownership or copyright of a users submitted content, the terms are so broad that they have given themselves a form of ownership through a broad and carefully crafted license for all content on a Facebook web property.
Regarding the "bottom line" users have a lot to be concerned about. Facebook is very large and at some point, if not now, has done a broad range of risk analysis to assess how far they can go with claiming rights to submitted content and using (or some might say exploiting) user data with an acceptable loss of users. There is a tipping point on two fronts:
1. when the adoption rate is so great to their site, many people will just cave to changes they make with ToU or other documents
2. when #1 happens the precedent they set with their ToU and other user agreements will begin to be adopted and replicated by other online sites degrading user privacy and copyright protection.
I would be happy to give Facebook the benefit of the doubt, but I've learned over time to have a healthy amount of skepticism when ti comes to forfeiting my legally protected rights. Others should do the same.

Re: The Facebook TOS Controversy

jimgoldstein — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:36:46 -0000

Nice find on the link to delete an account on Facebook. That used to be myth :)

While Facebook does not own the work submitted their license could be interpreted to take precedent over other license the user has made for submitted work. This is should be an area of concern for many professionals. In this day an age professional creatives need to know the restrictions of their contracts for their own marketing & promotion and for the use of their work by their clients. Either party could create problems by using Facebook with certain licensing contracts.

Great post and congrats on the blog.search.com listing on the front page.

Re: Free isn’t a problem, it’s an opportunity.

jimgoldstein — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 02:31:24 -0000

To your basic point I agree. Free is an opportunity, but only if approached thoughtfully. One thing is certain Free is not one size fits all and for that reason alone evaluating a business strategy and marketing plan is as important as ever if making money from ones art is a goal. That being said most artist pursue art not for profit, but out of love for their craft.

Many of Cory's quoted comments are concerning to me as they're generalities that don't necessarily hold true.

I disagree with Cory Doctorow on art as a profession. Over the ages there have certainly been numerous starving artists, but there have always been artists that have made a living from their work. Popular culture often defines who is most recognized in their day and later historical pundits gauge who has a lasting impact driving up the value of scarce work. Clearly they're not always the same. I think its a disservice to other artists to make a call to raise the white flag and just give work away. While I understand that is not his sole view on the topic the sound bite clearly makes it sound that way.

What really makes me strongly disagree is that most people (apparently even other artists) are unaware that the most successful artists are the ones that work the hardest. They're not riding on their laurels they're busting their ass. Their recognition and ability to make a living is very well deserved and earned.

I also disagree that contemporary artists "have" to come to terms with copying. On a technical level copying is part of the equation, but how freely you let people copy your work and what you allow them to copy is a strategic choice. Books do not operate in an economy of scarcity, but abundance. The same cannot be said for every other art medium. Clearly Corey has shed some light to his strategy. It works for him and his artistic medium and thats great. I'm sure on many levels that strategy could work for others, but it undoubtedly will not work for everyone or every medium.

You're dead on... attention is scare and compounding that problem is the amount of noise people have to filter. This is true of every marketing medium. When everyone gives their work away for free will everyone be on equal footing? Clearly not. The noise level will be so great that even free won't distinguish an artist from his/her peers. It will always come down to the quality of the work, the creativity in marketing that work and how hard an artist works. While free is an opportunity it is not a solution and with out proper planning it most certainly can be a disaster. In fact it might just be a safe prediction that everyone jumping on the free bandwagon will just expedite the process of pushing more people into obscurity. Early adopters will benefit from increased exposure and everyone else will just languish.

The economy of attention and reputation might just fall in line with the financial economy we currently see where only a select view become "rich" from free while everyone else is attention, reputation or financially poor.

Free may very well be the Emporer's new clothes. Time will tell.

Re: Free isn’t a problem, it’s an opportunity.

jimgoldstein — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 03:38:12 -0000

My point was that certain products generate greater revenue through large volume of sales. This is true of books, music, videos and most other widely distributed art. Photographic prints on the other hand you can sometimes make more by selling less in the form of limited editions. The same could be true of limited edition fine art books, paintings, sculpture, etc. Controlling supply is often the best form of generating higher prices when their is a good amount of demand.

The irony is that when it comes to art the most widely sought after collectibles are often an artists earliest work. In the past that used to be because these items were the rarest. If free establishes itself in the art world it'll be interesting to see how it effects this historical trend. Odds are there will be an artist who is unplugged that will be the darling of the art world simply because he/she never took part in free and the "new paradigm".

For the rest of us who look to make the bulk of our income while living or in a contemporary economic/technological environment we'll see how things play out in the here and now as the economic model of free matures.

Re: Free isn’t a problem, it’s an opportunity.

jimgoldstein — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:13:32 -0000

The caveat to this discussion is of course that there is demand. If there is demand then there is certainly revenue generating opportunity in controlling supply.

I'm not out to say one approach is right and the other is wrong. I just find that people tend to latch on to the notion of free with out really thinking it through. I also find that people think its some form of magic bullet and we should all know there is no magic bullet.

Its fair to say that with out value there will be no demand. As you pointed out on my blog my writing is a form of free. No difference of opinion there. My blog is a teaser for my photos that are sold and a gateway to services for workshops or teaching. It's a calculated effort. Even still it takes discipline to keep it from distracting me from other revenue generating tasks. There in lies the big dilemma for many who provide anything for free. Discipline and planning are the name of the game. Free is the buzz of the day. As with all things pricing related... tread and plan carefully.

It's on that front we also agree. Deciphering the approach and means to harness free is the fun... well fun for us who like to decipher such things. It's all relative.

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/08/to-jump-on-massive-unfollowing-trend.html

jimgoldstein — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:41:32 -0000

I've been curious as to the counter argument to this trend. Scoble's reaction albeit extreme is one I can empathize with, but unnecessarily severe. I appreciate the alternate perspective and grounded reasoning to your approach. While I have far fewer followers the numbers have crossed the line of unmanageable with out an automation service. Thanks for the great post and food for thought.

Re: Disqus V3 Is Live On This Blog

jimgoldstein — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:52:38 -0000

Neat. I'm looking forward to seeing v3 in all its glory

Re: Real time comments will piss off pro bloggers (at first)

jimgoldstein — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:53:38 -0000

2nd that... but that won't quite that very vocal minority. I wonder how spammers will adapt. They always do.

Re: Monterey Bay Aquarium Photos & Plastic Waste in the Ocean

jimgoldstein — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:53:06 -0000

Jenn thanks for your interest in my photography. I do sell prints of all my photos. You can order a print directly of this and other photos I've taken at the Monterey Bay Aquarium here:

http://pa.photoshelter.com/...

If you have questions or a custom print request don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Re: 10 Great Audio Resources for Photo Videos

jimgoldstein — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 03:22:51 -0000

Glad this appeared just in time! I hope the resources prove to be of use for you. Let me know what your music search experience is like when you're done.

Re: An Open Letter to Carl Pope & Sierra Club

jimgoldstein — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:53:31 -0000

I believe in what Sierra Club stands for, but its hard to be blasted constantly. I checked what email I've kept from them and I've received numerous "your membership is expiring notices" email. You'd think I'd receive them only as the date approached the month I joined the year before.

I can always unsubscribe to these messages, but the underlying message with all the effort behind these email messages is inefficiency. If there's this much inefficiency with how they do email then what does that say about how they run the rest of the organization. It's a jump I realize, but one that is hard not to make. Their marketing tactics really tarnish their entire image.

If I can find other organizations that conduct equivalent grassroots efforts I'm happy to explore and support them. I'm not tied to Sierra Club just because theyre the Sierra Club.

Re: An Open Letter to Carl Pope & Sierra Club

jimgoldstein — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 23:41:00 -0000

Thanks for the reply David. I actually don't have a bone to pick with the Sierra Club. I know its a great organization with deep roots and a great mission. Unfortunately the manner in which I'm communicated to via email crosses the line as spam and it has pushed me over the edge in not wanting to renew. The constant bombardment has not engaged me, but has progressively pushed me away. Over the course of years I've begun filtering email from the Sierra Club as noise and quickly deleting them. I've always felt guilty about unsubscribing to receiving email because I wanted to be informed. I've yet to find a happy medium and as a result I'm forced to take a break from the organization. If and when things change in relation to communication with members I'll gladly reconsider joining.

Your passion for the Sierra Club is one of the reasons I initially joined. The majority of the email I've received seems to be from the national office versus local chapter. Local chapters seem to still rely on traditional mail. It really doesn't matter who the email is from, if I'm receiving too much or it is one dimensional and/or off target. I can only humanly process so much email and if its off target the times I do look are wasted. Perhaps my experience might have been different if I jumped in actively with a local chapter, but unfortunately my schedule does not allow for that as I'd have liked. Those behind Sierra Club email campaigns seem to ignore two simple facts:
1. Email viewers attention spans are not endless
2. Email viewers expect value or engagement in return for action
(Value can be information on the Sierra Club web site, it can be chapter event information, etc.)
Perhaps a membership drive could be tied to more of the great things you've talked about with local chapters. An invitation to a local meeting to see how and why ones donation makes a difference. Or for those that can't make a meeting an online hub of contributor stories. There are plenty of ways to engage members in a positive cycle of reinforcement. Instead I'm treated as a wall that if enough things are thrown at something will eventually stick to.

My earlier points stand. They're not meant to be an insult to the hardworking volunteers or full-time staff of the Sierra Club. I have the greatest respect for anyone and everyone that makes the Sierra Club function. I've aired these concerns in the hope that the Sierra Club recognizes how their actions undermine their goals in member communication and advocacy. I hope the concerns are heard and adjustments are made. I'd love to someday again proudly support the Sierra Club.

Re: An Open Letter to Carl Pope & Sierra Club

jimgoldstein — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 01:43:03 -0000

I couldn't agree more. I didn't even touch on tone of message. Compared to other groups the Sierra Club isn't that bad in this area. Thanks for the comment.

Re: Shell Refinery Sunrise – Martinez, California

jimgoldstein — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:42:28 -0000

David yup you're absolutely correct. I was looking at Google maps last night and didn't see how it lined up to be Martinez and totally blanked on Rodeo. Lesson learned late night blog posts probably not the best thing to pursue when you're not 100% sure of your subjects location. Then again it's great to get the help. Thanks for pointing out my mis-identification.

Re: Impact in the Details

jimgoldstein — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:20:16 -0000

Thanks for the comment Shelly. Glad you found the blog and I look forward to more of your comments and feedback.

Re: Do High-End Cameras Make You A Better Photographer?

jimgoldstein — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:24:53 -0000

"High-end" could easily be thought of as fancy, expensive, or top of the line... in other words the best model offered by a particular manufacturer. I hope that helps and thanks for visiting the blog

Re: Shell Refinery Sunrise – Martinez, California

jimgoldstein — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:28:50 -0000

Thanks Richard. A long lens often helps bring average subjects into a new light (no pun intended).

Re: New Horizons for Travel Photography Pros

jimgoldstein — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:04:45 -0000

Great post David. I too look forward to seeing your follow up to this. As we discussed the last time we met the market is anything but the same or certain. While it's fascinating to see things change it unfortunately can also be stressful.

Re: CPK Server Fired for Tweets: Did He Deserve It?

jimgoldstein — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:47:46 -0000

Seems to be this is a pretty straight forward situation:

If the company had a well established communication policy covering social media use and he breached it then yes he should have been fired.

If the company did not yet have a communication policy covering social media then he should not have been fired, but reprimanded. The onus is on every company to establish professional norms expected through social media use by it's employees. This should be covered on the first day of employment.

Re: Sinopah Mountain Reflected in Two Medicine Lake

jimgoldstein — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:14:31 -0000

Don't get me wrong :) I woke up an hour earlier than needed and enjoyed watching the full spectrum of light that painted the landscape all while the moon set over the mountains. Quite a sight and one I enjoyed to the fullest. There's a lot to be said for just enjoying the moment rather than getting locked into looking through a viewfinder. Thanks for the great comment Roberta

Re: CPK Server Fired for Tweets: Did He Deserve It?

jimgoldstein — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:24:24 -0000

Does anyone know if CPK has a communication policy covering Social Media? This is the keystone to this whole debate. If CPK doesn't have their act together to educate their employees about Social Media, its impact on business and the manner that is deemed acceptable as it relates to talking about their business then they over reacted and it's their fault. Ultimately his behavior was unprofessional and if they did have a communication policy covering acceptable social media use as it relates to the CPK then they acted with in their right... as noted in my earlier comment. Personally it would seem they over reacted not weighing the pros and cons of firing him.

No longer do companies control their brand outright and this is proof.

Re: CPK Server Fired for Tweets: Did He Deserve It?

jimgoldstein — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:35:07 -0000

It would seem he references a communication policy was brought up as justification for his dismissal. Posting online is forever... this incident will follow him around if he is looking for meaningful employment in any corporation. I'm all for free speech, but you have to be smart and think long-term with these things. I hope for his sake he is able to leverage his temporary notoriety to do something outside of the corporate world. Everyone's dirt is only a Google search away these days.

Re: CPK Server Fired for Tweets: Did He Deserve It?

jimgoldstein — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:09:43 -0000

Here's a thought...
What people lose sight of is that when you sign on as an employee you often sign paperwork agreeing to a code of conduct. That covers in person interaction and online interaction. If you agree to those terms then you'll be held accountable. I find it surprising that people feel he's a victim. Were I making the call I'd have handled it differently. Clearly those making the decision on this didn't understand the long term implications of their old school approach. I don't agree with it, but that was their decision to make. For all I know this guy took a job 1 day a week and did this just to get attention to his hip-hop CD. Not likely but it's possible.

Re: Film Is Dead. No Really!

jimgoldstein — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:48:55 -0000

Cindy great to see you comment on the blog. I read the article and found it interesting that Douglas still takes digital photos of his transparencies. Douglas Kirkland: From 8x10 To Digital And Back.

For the record I'm not against film although I haven't used it in years. It's just not used enough for many stores to keep supporting (if they weather the changing market) and is becoming niche. It's a shame more comments aren't showing up on this there were close to 100. I'm working with Disqus to sort out the problem of why they're not all showing. Stay tuned I'm trying to get them to display. Great comments made and I look forward to the conversation continuing.