Andrew Leonard - The Deep Structure of Duplication

Leonard is an author and frequently writes on technology issues for Salon.com, an

online magazine.

 

The Web makes it possible to build on past work without repeating it all the time. Free

software or open source software is the future of information. Open source is computer

source code made freely available. The infrastructure changes are obvious in the free

software movement. All information will be digitized and easier to copy. Libraries can

do one of two things:

       1.  Cherish free software/open source and make it part of what we do.

       2.  Fight it and try to stop it.

His opinion is that the backers of free software are flowing with the tide. Linux and open

source software is challenging Microsoft Windows NT on networks. Linux was created

by Linus Ton/aid and developed by many volunteers worldwide which allowed for

massive scaled peer review. Linux market share grew a lot though revenue had small

growth. It lowers the cost of operating systems and Microsoft is worried because it is

battling Windows NT to a standstill.  Apache, using Linux, is capable of hosting web

sites and is on 50% of web servers. Programmers contribute to open source code

because it helps them do their job.

 

We should remove obstacles to information and feast on human knowledge without

restriction.  Free software does that for programmers.  Netscape in 1995 let customers

download software for free and started a new model that most companies use now.

 

He is writing a book and putting each chapter online to get peer review of content and

then he revises it accordingly. Hackers work on the reputation economy. What people

think and do today is important, what you did yesterday is not.

 

The music industry has changed. In 1997/98 it was difficult to download music, find

FTP trading sites, etc. But in 2000 Napster made it very easy, just click on a song

name and download it. Napster, the phenomenon, is the logical consequence of the

nature of the Internet. Napster is a phenomenon that will appear in other areas, for

example, needlepoint patterns.

 

The Internet interprets censorship as damage and routes around it. Leonard is waiting

for "rogue off-shore librarians" sharing books freely on the Internet.

 

There is the chance something new is happening. Free software/open source software

is not good for big companies, but good for individuals.  IBM is gung ho to have Linux

run on its main frames because they want their machines to be attractive to

programmers.

 

There is tension between open source and Napster. Could there be another way?

Could Napster find a way to pay the artist?

 

 

Stanford-California State Library Institute on 21st Century Librarianship Summer 2000

Informal Notes by Susan Martimo Choi