Download - Copyleft in Science, Software & Culture
Mumbai is the metaphor
This is a city of creation, interpretation, adaptation,
imagination, production,reproduction construction, deconstruction…
Disruptive Technology
Effects of Technology Regulation on Democracy
Life is organized around technology
(and always has been)
The disruption occurs when the technology, which is
introduced effects the social arrangements around which
we build our lives
Findings
• Regulation brings with it unintended & undesirable consequences
• Undesirable consequences are reduced by involving users in the regulation process
• Participatory democracy and design
But let me begin in a strange place…
Fountain - Duchamp (1917)
“The creative act is not performed by the artist alone; the spectator
brings the work in contact with the external world by deciphering and interpreting its inner qualifications and thus adds his contribution to
the creative act”
…deciphering…
• The key to science, software and culture is the ability to decipher
• Without this we cannot contribute
Science
Without the ability to decipher is “dead” dogma
Software
Without the ability to decipher is stagnation
Culture
Without the ability to decipher is unintelligible
Copyleft
is about maintaining the right to decipher
Philosophical Origins
The desire to create an infrastructure that encourages deciphering,
tinkering and adaptation
Starting this Thanksgiving I am going to write a complete
Unix–compatible software system called GNU (for Gnu’s
Not Unix), and give it away free to everyone who can use
it
(Stallman 1983)
The problem with freedom
…is freedom
In Software - freedoms to…
• …run the program, for any purpose.
• …study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs.
• …redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor.
• …improve the program, and release your improvements to the public
Copyleft
By using copyright law the creator can allow deciphering, tinkering
and adaptation - while maintaining these rights in the derived product
Basic Howto
• State copyright
• Add distribution terms
• Give everyone the rights to use, modify, and redistribute the program's code or any program derived from it.
• Condition that all future users have same rights.
GNU General Public License
• 2. You may modify your copy or copies of the Program or any portion of it….and copy and distribute such modifications or work…provided that you also meet all of these conditions:
• b) You must cause any work that you distribute or publish…to be licensed…under the terms of this License.
So much for infrastructure
What about science and culture
Science is strange
in many ways…
Science
• As scientists we struggle hard to maintain the myth of scientific freedom despite the fact that we are struggling with copyrights, patents, trademarks, trade secrets, funding and access (to data, equipment etc)
Culture is at war
Or rather: the discourse of war has entered the cultural domain
From Consumers to Producers
Threatening the “content” industry
Copyleft as inspiration
Creative Commons
Open Access
Remix Culture
Reclaiming the public sphere
These are exciting times & this is going to be an exciting
day
Thank You!