Learn from the mistakes of others

Australians are widely recognised as early adopters of new technologies.

According to local mobile phone carrier 3, we bucked the International trend during the world cup and watched lots and lots of the World Cup live via mobile phone. It will be interesting to see the final stats in a few weeks, once 3 have finalised them and released them publicly.

Australians are widely recognised as early adopters of new technologies.

According to local mobile phone carrier 3, we bucked the International trend during the world cup and watched lots and lots of the World Cup live via mobile phone. It will be interesting to see the final stats in a few weeks, once 3 have finalised them and released them publicly.

YouTube 'can sell videos it hosts'
Louisa Hearn (July 24, 2006 - 10:45AM)

The YouTube video sharing site has been much celebrated as a free ride to virtual stardom for the uninhibited masses, but a recent redraft of the small-print terms and conditions has added a slightly sour note into the mix.

Although most users of the US-based free video hosting site founded last year might be oblivious to recent changes in its terms, a number of US blogs and news sites have seized on the issue, claiming that the new conditions give YouTube the freedom to sell any creative content that it hosts to any format or channel.

Although those who have posted clips to satisfy exhibitionist urges rather than serious commercial aspirations might think the issue does not apply to them, comments posted to the Boing Boing blog point out that, under the new terms, they might one day see their unique interpretation of the duck dance being used in a television advert without either their consent or knowledge.

While some watchers say YouTube has created the conditions only to protect itself from the re-use by external sources of any material posted there, others believe it could pave the way for new commercial revenue streams, particularly if the company were taken over by a large media group.

Terms of Use are pretty important. We never read them, but they can be very important. This, however, is not the first, and will not be the last, of this kind of upheaval regarding Internet and legal stuff.

YouTube 'can sell videos it hosts'
Louisa Hearn (July 24, 2006 - 10:45AM)

The YouTube video sharing site has been much celebrated as a free ride to virtual stardom for the uninhibited masses, but a recent redraft of the small-print terms and conditions has added a slightly sour note into the mix.

Although most users of the US-based free video hosting site founded last year might be oblivious to recent changes in its terms, a number of US blogs and news sites have seized on the issue, claiming that the new conditions give YouTube the freedom to sell any creative content that it hosts to any format or channel.

Although those who have posted clips to satisfy exhibitionist urges rather than serious commercial aspirations might think the issue does not apply to them, comments posted to the Boing Boing blog point out that, under the new terms, they might one day see their unique interpretation of the duck dance being used in a television advert without either their consent or knowledge.

While some watchers say YouTube has created the conditions only to protect itself from the re-use by external sources of any material posted there, others believe it could pave the way for new commercial revenue streams, particularly if the company were taken over by a large media group.

Terms of Use are pretty important. We never read them, but they can be very important. This, however, is not the first, and will not be the last, of this kind of upheaval regarding Internet and legal stuff.

Hollywood agrees to burning DVD issue
Dawn Chmielewski (July 20, 2006 - 10:36AM)

Hollywood studios will cross a significant technological and psychological frontier this week when they offer the first downloadable movies that can be legally burned to a DVD.

Psychological maybe. Technological. Bittorrent anyone? *sigh*

Coupled with the CinemaNow agreement, a deal with Apple would cement the internet as a viable distribution vehicle.

The Internet is already a "viable distribution vehicle."

Stupid corporates.

Although studios have offered online movies since 2002, piracy fears have kept them locked to computer hard drives. That restriction has limited the market for legal downloads.

No. Their stupid paranoia has prevented them from selling their own product to us ... wasn't as if we couldn't, nor wouldn't, accept movies digitally.

CinemaNow's service employs relatively new anti-piracy technology, which prevents the burned DVD from being recopied. Because that technology is still being tested, the initial batch of titles [are] what's left "at the video store when you arrive too late and the shelves are picked clean".

*sigh* DRM.

Hollywood agrees to burning DVD issue
Dawn Chmielewski (July 20, 2006 - 10:36AM)

Hollywood studios will cross a significant technological and psychological frontier this week when they offer the first downloadable movies that can be legally burned to a DVD.

Psychological maybe. Technological. Bittorrent anyone? *sigh*

Coupled with the CinemaNow agreement, a deal with Apple would cement the internet as a viable distribution vehicle.

The Internet is already a "viable distribution vehicle."

Stupid corporates.

Although studios have offered online movies since 2002, piracy fears have kept them locked to computer hard drives. That restriction has limited the market for legal downloads.

No. Their stupid paranoia has prevented them from selling their own product to us ... wasn't as if we couldn't, nor wouldn't, accept movies digitally.

CinemaNow's service employs relatively new anti-piracy technology, which prevents the burned DVD from being recopied. Because that technology is still being tested, the initial batch of titles [are] what's left "at the video store when you arrive too late and the shelves are picked clean".

*sigh* DRM.

Call to beef up new junk food ad code
Julian Lee Marketing Reporter (July 17, 2006)

A NEW code regulating the marketing of junk food will not stop children becoming obese, the Australian Consumers' Association says. It has repeated its call for the Federal Government to step in and legislate.

*headdesk*

Regulations and laws can't make people lose weight.

"We don't believe that a voluntary code is going to provide adequate protection for children from advertising of unhealthy foods that may influence their food preferences and the food they eat, which in turn will impact on diet and nutrition and have the potential to contribute to overweight [sic] and obesity," the association's food policy officer, Clare Hughes, said.

And I don't believe you can legislate 'protection' of this kind into existence.

We need to change the priorities of the keepers-of-the-purse-strings. Education ought to come before corporate handouts, for example.

Children's 'food preferences'? Perhaps some people ought to be reminded that they're the adults. They're responsible for making decisions on behalf of the children in their care ...

You can't legislate maturity into existence.

Call to beef up new junk food ad code
Julian Lee Marketing Reporter (July 17, 2006)

A NEW code regulating the marketing of junk food will not stop children becoming obese, the Australian Consumers' Association says. It has repeated its call for the Federal Government to step in and legislate.

*headdesk*

Regulations and laws can't make people lose weight.

"We don't believe that a voluntary code is going to provide adequate protection for children from advertising of unhealthy foods that may influence their food preferences and the food they eat, which in turn will impact on diet and nutrition and have the potential to contribute to overweight [sic] and obesity," the association's food policy officer, Clare Hughes, said.

And I don't believe you can legislate 'protection' of this kind into existence.

We need to change the priorities of the keepers-of-the-purse-strings. Education ought to come before corporate handouts, for example.

Children's 'food preferences'? Perhaps some people ought to be reminded that they're the adults. They're responsible for making decisions on behalf of the children in their care ...

You can't legislate maturity into existence.