The Bakersfield-Dixon Line

I had a great time last night at the ABTL program on the Grokster case. It looks like the audio will be available for purchase if you're so inclined. (The audio of our U.C. Berkeley Grokster program last week will be the next episode of Sound Policy, so stay tuned for that.) We missed Russell Frackman and Hank Barry, who were prevented from joining us by last minute conflicts, but superstar Bobby Schwartz agreed to jump in on short notice and was a fantastic addition.

Some highlights of the event were Dean Sullivan's characterization of the case as one involving Northern California vs. Southern California (I'd never thought of it that way before; she intended it tongue in cheek I think, but like most things that are funny it rings true), the many back and forths between Bobby and Fred von Lohmann, Michael Weiss's real world anecdotes, and Bill Murray's taking time out from his 19th wedding anniversary to share his thoughts about fair use, DRM, and the other issues we covered. Another high point for me was the chance to catch up a bit with Ernest Miller who was kind enough to attend. All of the panelists have thought long and hard about these issues, and it was a real treat to hear their insights.

[Update]: Related goings on in Washington today:

• Judicary Leaders Target Peer-to-Peer


• The SNOCAP Solution


• eDonkey Chief Blasts Litigators In Senate Testimony

Grokster, Wine, And Thou

The ABTL's program Promoting Copyright Infringement: The 'Grokster' Decision and the Future of Digital Distribution is tomorrow night in Los Angeles.

And To Your Right, The Holodeck

I had some great meetings and talks yesterday, and the unexpected chance to time travel and be home in time for dinner. That is, I stopped by Google, then eBay. While eBay is a fun, free-spirited business, it's one that's recognizable as part of our own time and place. Google is Starfleet Academy. (With a significantly more relaxed dress code; and I guess we'll need that next earthquake to move it to its rightful place on the Bay.) Wikipedia's description of the Googleplex and corporate culture, and Steve Jurvetson's pics of the tongue in cheek "master plan," begin to capture the crux of the experience but can't convey the totality of the Roddenberrian conviction and scope. It's nothing short of breathtaking the first time you encounter it.

The real time search projections in the lobbies are mesmerizing. In the few moments I lingered there, I struggled to imagine who exactly was searching for "slow dance tampon," "is annoying song," and "al the chicken heads be quiet." I paid a brief visit and said hi to friends at the second Web spam summit, which was well attended, so somehow people find the fortitude to tear themselves away from the lobby displays to go inside and get things done.

The night before my visit (before I realized just how much Google's surroundings and environs wordlessly pulse with charting the future), I was musing aloud about how if near term clarity is to come to the law of fair use in the digital arena, it will probably come from Google. Toss out enough of those speculations and now and then one of them's bound to hit close to the mark.

Talk Back Radio

I can't quite convey what a big kick I got out of the fact Big Rick Stuart (a blogger) dropped a comment on my NorCal post.

Coverage Of Berkeley Grokster Program

The Contra Costa Times has this article today about our program Tuesday night night: Web Site Seeks Footing as Copyright Laws Shift. (Reg. required) JD Lasica blogged it, and the headline of the CC Times piece refers to the video of gray area Ourmedia submissions JD prepared and showed, be sure to check it out.