Disqus - Latest Comments for aheram

Re: The Day Real Internet Freedom Died: Our Forbes Op-Ed on Net Neutrality Regulation

aheram — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:14:56 -0000

If we are ever going to get Net Neutrality, we should start by getting rid of the FCC that had been stifling the growth of networks.

Re: Google Sued for Trademark Infringement: Technology Liberation Front v. Data Liberation Front

Adam_Thierer — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:46:38 -0000

We are well armed.

Re: Google Sued for Trademark Infringement: Technology Liberation Front v. Data Liberation Front

aheram — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:37:04 -0000

Joking aside, what is protecting you from Google (and its billions of dollars and army of lawyers) if it ever comes to pass that DLF accuses TLF of trademark infringement?

Re: Will Our Twitter Free Ride End or Will Targeted Advertising Subsidize Us?

bszoka — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 22:47:48 -0000

Amen, Jayel. In many cases, I'd probably be willing to pay at least as much as the advertising is worth to the website operator. But if many websites don't do this, it's probably not because the site operators just like to annoy you, but because there just isn't enough demand for the ads-free "fremium" version to make it cost-effective to offer that in addition to the ad-supported version. Not having that option may annoy us even more than the ads, but, hey, life is tough—especially for the entrepreneurs who have to try to make a living and show a return on investment sufficient to justify the risks venture capitalists take on web start-ups.

Re: Will Our Twitter Free Ride End or Will Targeted Advertising Subsidize Us?

aheram — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 19:01:39 -0000

Twitter can then provide an advertising-free subscription service (it worked with Flickr) to placate those who do not like the advertising. If given the choice, there are some people will pay to not be subjected to advertising.

Re: Texting While Driving: Regulate or Empower & Educate?

bszoka — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 20:50:00 -0000

Good point, Jayel: legislators (especially at the state and local level) certainly have a strong incentive to prefer solutions that bring in money (like banning an activity and writing tickets for violations) over solutions that either rely on users (pure empowerment) or that require spending (like funding public service announcements and education campaigns).

Re: Texting While Driving: Regulate or Empower & Educate?

aheram — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:23:21 -0000

How dare you suggest an alternative to a potential revenue stream for the state?

Re: Want Recovery? Remember Antitrust is Anti-Economy

aheram — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:35:15 -0000

Well, maybe. I actually do not mind seeing the government go after the monopolies they help create.

What do I mean by that? Some of the software companies you mentioned created their monopolies using their state-granted monopoly or copyrights and patents.

In a truly free market, anti-trust is indeed anti-economy. Though, if you take into account that these monopolies are not natural, then it is merely self-correction (or self-destruction!).

Re: ClaimMyName: Self-Help Against Name-Squatting on Social Media Services

aheram — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 19:58:48 -0000

The only problem with claiming names on any of these services iis that merely claiming them is not enough.

Unless you keep track of them and update the profiles accordingly, you will end up with a lot of dead-ends when someone searches for you on Google or any search engine. On one hand, you get to claim your unique name. On the other hand, you have a lot of blank profiles that do not tell much about you and will register in search engines. It just creates noise.

I am having a hard time as it is keeping track of and updating a small number (18 ) of social networks (making sure profile information is accurate, links bank to http://aheram.com, making sure there is nothing on there that you do not want), adding 282 more to that list will just break me!

Re: Lessig’s call for a “simple blanket license” in Remix

aheram — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:39:50 -0000

Thanks for the paper by Castle and Mitchell.

That is one of the things that disappoints me about Lessig is that while he generally has the right idea regarding the remix culture, copyrights, and other IP issues, the solutions he offers almost always require state coercion to make it work!

I currently reading "The Future of Ideas" and I find myself nodding in agreement for most of it, but then uttering, "God damn it, Lessig" and shaking my head at yet another governmental solution.

Sigh.

Re: More on Shrink-wrap Contracts

aheram — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 13:32:09 -0000

I questioned the validity of EULAs a few months ago and Jeffrey Tucker of the Mises Blog responded and got quite a bit of responses regarding the matter.

I do not think it should be legally enforceable. As for whether or not it can be is an entirely different matter. The State's capacity for violent coercion knows no bounds; in the order of things, enforcement of EULAs are a trivial matter to them.

Re: Googlephobia: Part 6 - The Left Begins to Turn on Google

aheram — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 04:53:45 -0000

I have always been iffy about Net Neutrality. I am always skeptical of anything that requires government as the solution. But I have yet to be convinced that corporate regulation of the internet is any better.