|
: remix is much more than the sum of its parts.” Gee, if one is of itself, and itself alone, so be it. Take The Matrix: Dezionized. As a severely snipped version of its own original, the film was an online blockbuster.
At the end, this book is not as anarchist as you’d imagine. Mason dismisses neoclassical economics as “autistic” in its ignorance of humane interests, but does not reject the financial incentive for innovation in the prospect of intellectual property ownership and royalty receipts. And he does, eventually, go legit himself. Beyond self-absolution, this book’s purpose is to help businesses formulate a defence strategy against losses inflicted by all-too-rampant piracy. This, indeed, is what the dilemma of the book’s title refers to — a game theory solution drawn from the Prisoner’s Dilemma.
In the original, two accomplices kept apart in separate dungeons are pressured to confess to some felony. If one betrays the other, the betrayer goes scot-free and the partner is locked up for life. If both squeal on each other, they both get half life terms. And if they both hold their peace, they’re jailed only for a few months. If either goes by simple self-interest, you get a suboptimal outcome. It’s best if both assume mutual assurance.
In Mason’s book, the prisoners are two rival companies, each faced with the choice of responding to piracy by either fighting under the aegis of the copyright law (the legal position), or adapting to it under prevailing market conditions (if done unilaterally, this is betrayal, since dropping price hurts the rival more than pirates). Mason freely asks both players to cooperate in adapting their prices to piracy. If it’s a force the market needs, compete with it, don’t squash it. Something of the sort has already played out in the global music industry. While the biggies banded together in court against Napster and other MP3 music sharers, Apple’s iTunes sneaked up, grabbed this hot digital format and ran with it. And legally, too. Today, all-round cooperation is still their best bet, even as pirates get it off in crazier new ways. But relax, one way or another, some good will come of it....
| Single Page Format | Previous - 1 - 2 |
Discuss this story on expressindia forums
|
|
 |
 |
 |
About Us | Contact Us | Advertisers | Site Map | Make us your homepage | Work for Us | RSS | Subscribe | Electronic Edition | Privacy Policy© 2009: The Indian Express Limited. All rights reserved throughout the world
