Hailed by Bruce Sterling as he leads off with a mutinous talk given at Microsoft on digital rights management, insisting that they stop treating th...
read full description
reviews
Nov 09, 2011
Demian
rated it: 
1. [Io interpreto il libro come una “pratica” – una raccolta di attività sociali, economiche e artistiche – e non un “oggetto”. Vedere il libro come “pratica” invece che come “oggetto” è un’idea innovativa, e conduce alla domanda: cosa diavolo è un libro? Bella domanda.]
2. [Gli ebook devono abbracciare la loro natura. [Ebooks need to embrace their nature] Questo valore peculiare degli ebook è ortogonale al valore dei libri cartacei e ruota attorno alle possibilità del testo elettronico More...
2. [Gli ebook devono abbracciare la loro natura. [Ebooks need to embrace their nature] Questo valore peculiare degli ebook è ortogonale al valore dei libri cartacei e ruota attorno alle possibilità del testo elettronico More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jan 26, 2009
Desiree
rated it: 
I absolutely loved his book! It's a collection of articles that we previously printed elsewhere, but, when you put them all together, you get a great read!
The author talks a lot about how he releases all his books on the net for free. You would think he would lose money doing so, but the freebies stimulate interest in his books which lead to more copies being sold. The RIAA could learn a lot from this book, instead of actively suing their own customers....
One interesting More...
The author talks a lot about how he releases all his books on the net for free. You would think he would lose money doing so, but the freebies stimulate interest in his books which lead to more copies being sold. The RIAA could learn a lot from this book, instead of actively suing their own customers....
One interesting More...
Sep 29, 2011
Bill
rated it: 
Doctorow discusses the pitfalls of DRM (Digital Rights Management), copyrights, and attempts at controlling creativity in technology. His conclusion? Give it away! Through his own experience (he has made this book, and other materials he has produced, available in electronic formats...free of charge), Doctorow believes that he is more successful in building his audience through providing his work to the public at no cost.
Seth Godin agrees. He asserts that success in the future li More...
Seth Godin agrees. He asserts that success in the future li More...
Sep 22, 2011
Glenn
rated it: 
There were some excellent insights in Doctorow's essays on the future of content, how content is consumed, and the all pervasive nature of the internet and the challenges this presents to creators of content in an information economy.
Some key points that I found to be of interest included:
Information is a relationship – a simultaneous relationship, an action and an area of shared mind
Challenges of economic paradigm for content creation and the constraints of copyright (e More...
Some key points that I found to be of interest included:
Information is a relationship – a simultaneous relationship, an action and an area of shared mind
Challenges of economic paradigm for content creation and the constraints of copyright (e More...
Apr 27, 2010
Brian
rated it:
Ha ha, Doctorow, I read your book online without paying for it :P
But I wouldn't have read Content if I'd had to buy it -- and that would have been too bad, because it's a great little book. On matters of copyright, Doctorow reminds me of the way Chinese satirist Lu Xun described himself: a crazy man banging on the outer walls of a blazing iron house in the vain hope of rousing the inhabitants before they burn to death. For Doctorow, the iron house is the notion that intellectual pr More...
But I wouldn't have read Content if I'd had to buy it -- and that would have been too bad, because it's a great little book. On matters of copyright, Doctorow reminds me of the way Chinese satirist Lu Xun described himself: a crazy man banging on the outer walls of a blazing iron house in the vain hope of rousing the inhabitants before they burn to death. For Doctorow, the iron house is the notion that intellectual pr More...
Sep 13, 2009
Alexandra
rated it:
I am almost done but I can safely say that Cory's writing is boring,clear and to the point. Where it lacks literary artistry it gains in wit and clarity of ideas. There is much to learn from this "geek" who is actually a very cool dude and family man(young). His ideas of the uselesness of trying to control the web content is directed to those who want to use the net but want to be protected in a cyberworld where the current "laws" are as good as the next hacker, the next pira
More...
Apr 10, 2011
Raj
rated it:
This is a collection of Doctorow's writing on copyright, DRM and the internet. It is, like the rest of his work, available for free under a CC licence online, but I got the paper version, being the old-fashioned book-lover that I am. Doctorow acknowledges that he probably loses some sales through putting his work online for free, but his contention is that the publicity and goodwill he gains from it generate more paper sales than he loses. This has certainly worked for him, although I don't k
More...
Feb 02, 2012
Shweta
rated it:
Such a rhetorical way of writing essays which is mostly a collection of presentations, conferences, et al! Cory Doctorow has a knack of adding humor to whatever he wants to convey which is obviously being talked about for a serious attention. Though, the topics are sophisticated but he has tried his best with several relevant anecdotes which makes it clear to understand the making of copyright and it's subsequent infringement and then anti-circumvention to keep off competitors.
One of More...
One of More...
Sep 06, 2009
Brendan
rated it:
I picked up Doctorow’s book because I suspected it would have some choice conversation starters for my Writing for New Media class. And it does. The book (available at Craphound.com for a free download) comprises a whole bunch of Doctorow’s columns for the Guardian, Locus, and other places. As usual, his geek chic wit works for me. Some thoughts about individual essays:
* The early essays about the problems with the current conception of copyright hit the ball out of the park. More...
* The early essays about the problems with the current conception of copyright hit the ball out of the park. More...
Jul 15, 2010
Al
rated it:
These essays, mostly written in 2007 for other venues, collect several ideas on the interaction of copyright laws and technology. They will make you think. They'll educate you on the history of copyright law where you'll get a perspective on how it has evolved and how it should evolve in the future. You'll get a perspective on why the most recent changes in copyright law are flawed and why DRM is bad.
Any reader who is interested in this kind of thing should read "Conten More...
Any reader who is interested in this kind of thing should read "Conten More...
Apr 17, 2010
Mike
rated it:
I picked this up from the library for two reasons. One, after reading Scalzi's best of Whatever book, I was ready to read another colletion from a blogger I read semi-regularly. Of course, this is a collection of essays and articles, not blog posts. Two, a lot of the content in Content ties into the IP reading I've been doing lately.
Doctorow takes his collection from a variety of articles and presentations he's authored over the last few years. His writing is easy to read, and he More...
Doctorow takes his collection from a variety of articles and presentations he's authored over the last few years. His writing is easy to read, and he More...
Sep 19, 2010
David
rated it:
Cory Doctorow is one of those cool hipster technologists with lots of opinions that are mostly well-founded, and an arrogant certainty that the opposing viewpoint is represented by Sauron and Emperor Palpatine.
This book is a selection of previously published essays, magazine articles, and conference presentations, mostly on the theme of copyright and intellectual property law, piracy, privacy, ebooks, and related matters. He makes some compelling arguments, but as these articles were More...
This book is a selection of previously published essays, magazine articles, and conference presentations, mostly on the theme of copyright and intellectual property law, piracy, privacy, ebooks, and related matters. He makes some compelling arguments, but as these articles were More...
Mar 07, 2011
Jay
rated it:
Wow, I couldn't put this book down. Cory Doctorow had so many interesting things to say about copyright, personal property, the internet, and many other things that I, in my isolated state of parenting and other busy-ness, haven't had time to notice or think about. These are great essays and presentations. I expected I'd read this book over a few weeks or a month -- that it would be my "fill in" book for those moments when I had enough time to read a quick essay but not an entire chapt
More...
Mar 23, 2009
Bryan
rated it:
Would have given four stars, but as the book is made up previously published essays it gets a bit repetitive. Could have been edited down to two or three long essays. That being said, I think the info he's giving is essential. I recommend this book to anyone who doesn't understand why most of the library's audiobooks can't be played on an ipod. Of course, some might reach different conclusions than Doctorow, but as a librarian, I'm for open gardens. I have a professional obligation to make infor
More...
May 11, 2011
Dan
rated it:
First off, all these articles are available online free or have circulated there for years. I just liked having them all organized and brought together in a tidy, non-electronic, highly-readable package.
Doctorow is extremely prolific in his side career of EFF spokesperson and advocate for open Intellectual Property rights as he is primarily occupied by writing a culturally savvy type of sci-fi. These installments represent what is likely a majority of his valuable published writings More...
Doctorow is extremely prolific in his side career of EFF spokesperson and advocate for open Intellectual Property rights as he is primarily occupied by writing a culturally savvy type of sci-fi. These installments represent what is likely a majority of his valuable published writings More...
Mar 22, 2009
Alexa
rated it:
A fabulous collection of essays, available for free under the Creative Commons license at craphound.com, Cory Doctorow's website, along with all his other books. Some of the essays repeat the same examples but overall, a good collection to have around, though I might recommend that you don't read them straight through. The author practices what he preaches in terms of digital rights and I think that is the best endorsement of the points raised in these essays.
Apr 01, 2010
Mark
rated it:
An absolute must for any librarian, English teacher, IT teacher, or just about anyone with an interest in digital 'content' and how it is being manipulated for profit.
Doctorow, apart from being a pretty good YA and Sci Fi writer is a leading expert in copyright law in the digital age. His take on eBooks, DRM and piracy are all pretty inspiring and provocative.
Also...this, and any of his books, are available at his website for free.
Doctorow, apart from being a pretty good YA and Sci Fi writer is a leading expert in copyright law in the digital age. His take on eBooks, DRM and piracy are all pretty inspiring and provocative.
Also...this, and any of his books, are available at his website for free.
Sep 19, 2010
Janet
rated it:
I downloaded this book to read the chapters on Digital Rights Management ("DRM") -- it's a worthwhile read if you spend time creating works (photos, writing, blogging) to share on the internet or if you're interested in the implications of DRM systems on your favorite devices.
It's primarily a collection of essays collected from the author's articles. I got a lot out of it but stumbled a few times on typos and missing sentences. More...
It's primarily a collection of essays collected from the author's articles. I got a lot out of it but stumbled a few times on typos and missing sentences. More...
Apr 19, 2010
Ryan
rated it:
A good primer on Doctorow and his thoughts on copyright, media centralization, and the creative power of the internet. The essays contained within were written over many years and for many different audiences, so you see the re-use of several analogies and rhetorical devices throughout. Apparently, for example, when Doctorow was living in San Fransisco, he discovered his barber through Google Maps. You learn that fact several times :o)
Jun 05, 2009
Karl
rated it:
Fascinating discussion of technology and the nature of creative production in a world where goods can be distributed for little to no cost. How can creators get paid in a world where everyone can have their works for free? Copyright and DRM are broken ideas as they stand now, based on the concept of physical goods with limited distribution and availability. Cory presents many intriguing ideas about the nature of these and other problems.
Oct 02, 2011
Tara
rated it:
Overall, I agree with Doctorow's sentiments, but I don't think that this book did the best job of expressing them. I'm not a stupid person, and I am very familiar with technology, and yet I often had to read passages several times to understand how the supporting arguments were relevant to the main objective of the essay. Sometimes they were simply disjointed, occasionally they simply were not relevant. I was disappointed with this collection, mostly because I believe in the conversation, and I
More...
Jan 08, 2012
Stacy
rated it:
This book was fantastic. By far the most intelligent view on DRM and copyright law I've ever read. Doctorow provides a blunt but realistic outlook for many emerging technologies. I really like the prevailing theme of "Computers are really really good at copying things. The Internet is really really good at transmitting data. Any software or technology that tries to make it harder to copy and transmit data is just dumb. Instead of working against it, develop a new business model."
More...
More...
Dec 30, 2010
Jen
rated it:
A collection of Cory Doctorow's earlier published articles, largely about digital rights and copyright law. The articles vary in quality and relevance, but the book still serves as a great primer for anyone new to the issue. Many (possibly still all) of the articles can be read on Doctorow's website, but they pack a bit more of a punch bound together.
Jan 24, 2012
Jestin
rated it:
Despite what others might tell you, this is not a book of political opinions. While the author does give his opinions, and has his own agenda (as everyone does), this book is more about the facts of copyright in the digital age. It paints a clear picture of why and how copyright works, and how the current system is doomed to eventual failure. If you ever plan to make money off of copyrighted works, you need to read this book so that you understand the world in which you are peddling your ware
More...
May 16, 2011
Glenn
rated it:
Sci-fi author and blogger Doctorow exposes the futility of current copyright law and traces the paradigm shift of content vs. container from player-pianos and the invention of radio to ebooks and peer-to-peer file sharing. From the introduction by web pioneer and Grateful Dead lyricist John Perry Barlow to the dozens of previously published articles, Content is smart, funny, and provocative. Although the essays can get a bit repetitive if read straight through, there are so many gems: a lectur
More...
Jan 12, 2011
Luqmaninbmore
rated it:
Quite good, if varied, collection on topics ranging from web 2.0 technologies, to ebooks, to the modern surveillance state. Some of the material is a bit dated (he dismisses the Kindle as a flop), but the ideas motivating them are still very relevant. It's also readable in easy, bite-sized portions. Recommended.
May 22, 2011
Nikki
rated it:
The essays in Content are completely unsurprising, if you know anything about Cory Doctorow. He's anti-DRM and pro-freedom of information; he offers his books free online (including this one) and profits by it, and suggests that everyone can follow his example. I don't actually think he's completely right about that, but his ideas are compelling.
The essays get somewhat repetitive, and were for me a bit bogged down in referring to American laws and the history of the film/tech industry More...
The essays get somewhat repetitive, and were for me a bit bogged down in referring to American laws and the history of the film/tech industry More...
0 comments
like
(3 people liked it)
May 06, 2009
James
rated it:
It's a great book to make you question and challenge the rights that content brokers try to seize as a part of copyright. Thought provoking though I wonder if he was testing out the 7-occurence theory by mentioning his first novel about that many times in the text.
Sep 18, 2008
Ken
rated it:
Excellent way for someone relatively new to Cory's non-fiction to come up to speed quickly. A great overview of his thoughts on copyright, the Internet, and society. And even if you're a dyed-in-the-wool True Fan (like me), you'll probably find something new, and you'll definitely enjoy having the essays collected in one place. His Microsoft DRM essay is included, which is a favorite of mine. Well worth picking up if you have any interest whatsoever in topics like the future of copyright, media
More...
Oct 31, 2011
Ben
rated it:
A bit uneven owing to the fact that it's a collection of columns, speaking notes, and essays, but otherwise an insightful glimpse at the public face of the copyleft movement. As a former spokesperson for the EFF (electronic frontier foundation), Doctorow lent an aura of internet celebrity, wit, and vigor to the organization, and these writings certainly bear it out. Written for audiences as varied as Microsoft employees, aspiring artists and writers, and a general readership, this collection sho
More...
