Filesharing and hacking

Old terms and concepts now have almost universally negative connotations.

I agree with Jonathan Seff’s observation that File Sharing has become a dirty word in most circles. Despite licit as well as illicit uses, synonyms for file sharing seem to be software and music piracy. Lawrence Lessig’s observation that “piracy” has been the accusation levied against many new media formats in the March 2003 issue of Wired is interesting history. I am still wondering when we will have the first national/international breakout artist not backed by the RIAA, who get their music to the masses via P2P. Maybe it will be my son using Garageband! I don’t really think we’ll have to wait that long, however.

A student I work with observed recently that hacking also has taken on almost universal negative connotations. “Hackers” used to be mainly people who liked to tinker with the innards of computers and write software programs– now hacker is a term applied both to “script kiddies” as well as bona fide electronic terrorists. Language is dynamic, and this is proof.

John Katz’ contention is that Script Kiddies are alienated young people, most often young men . Maybe we should be strategizing in our schools and communities about how to engage these young people in viable / constructive / authentic tasks and learning opportunities? When it comes to file sharing, the RIAA seems to have the loudest voice in the public arena– but is what they are defending really defensible: or basically an old paradigm of income generation whose primary incentive for continued living is the greed of those who benefit from it now? Hmmmm……

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