By TheVoice
Filed in Democracy, Information Technology, Technology, misc
Tagged with Business, Change, Innovation, Intellectual Property, IT, Society, Technology
July 20th, 2010 @ 1:10 pm
The GPL debate will run and run
Over the last few days a debate has flared up over the GPL (the GNU General Public License). Specifically, the debate relates to the refusal of DIYThemes to release its WordPress Thesis theme under the GPL.
The details of the debate encapsulate a major nerdfest, with legal and technical nerds crawling out of their boxes and greeting the world. But beyond this, the debate has much wider implications.
In fact, at Vox Sapiens we wonder whether this debate will be seen as the tipping point that identifies the crest of the Open Source wave. We think that, maybe, the strength of the Open Source movement will wane from this moment because Read more
What is wrong with a bonus culture in banking?
The European Union parliament will vote next week on new legislation to curb bankers’ bonuses. The rules on bonuses are included within a larger proposal on capital requirements. According to the Financial Times, ‘lawmakers and EU officials welcomed the agreement and said it should help to reduce the “bonus culture” in the banking sector.’
Well here at Vox Sapiens, at risk of repeating ourselves (see Bankers’ bonuses – wrong target) we think the bonus culture should be increased, not reduced. This is because Read more
Await the Chinese backlash
The latest European passenger vehicle emissions standard (“Euro5″) was introduced in September 2009. Since that date, in Europe it has been illegal to sell new vehicles that do not meet this standard. Older models that only met the Euro4 standard can only be exported outside Europe to markets with more lenient standards. Within Europe the cars have little value – they can only be disassembled in order to reuse the components – and this value is therefore below cost.
This situation alone raises the possibility that dominant carmakers in the other markets will already be very suspicious of Euro4-compliant automakers. But it can get worse, much worse. Imagine that Read more
The US Financial Reform Bill is too long
The US Senate has started to debate the Financial Reform bill. This bill proposes the most sweeping changes to US (and, therefore, global) financial markets regulatory practices since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
So one might think this an extremely important bill, right? So all the Senators have Read more
Repeating comments in a different context can be misleading
At Vox Sapiens we are disappointed by a recent FT article which appears to show sloppy research. We have long admired the quality of the research and analysis in the FT compared to many other newspapers. However, today’s article appears to have taken an idea from an old article and repeated it almost verbatim, thereby misleading the reader. We are using this as an example of how it is important to be careful when using the Internet for research.
The article in question relates to Read more
Consumer Watchdog misses the biggest threat
The Consumer Watchdog April 21 asked the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to launch an antitrust action against Google. In its request it suggested that Google might be broken up.
While there is the potential for Google to develop into something that needs to be broken up, right now there is a candidate that is way higher in priority. And that is Read more
The future of the automotive industry is more than the new powertrain
Powertrain 2020! The EV vision! The lust for lithium! The fuss about fuel cells! The automotive industry is alive with a debate over the replacement of the gasoline powertrain.
This is an extremely important debate, and will have major impacts on the strategic positioning of the OEMs. For example, what would happen if the future is rechargeble batteries and in the future the electricity supply companies give away vehicles in exchange for exclusive recharging contracts? Don’t believe it could happen? Look at the mobile phone handset industry.
But creeping up quietly is another technological shift that could have even more impact Read more
The incredible story of the Icelandic banking crisis
The Icelandic Special Investigation Committee (SIC) yesterday (April 12th, 2010) delivered its report on the collapse of the three main banks in Iceland. It makes shocking reading.
It can be downloaded here.
At Vox Sapiens, our initial vision was of a couple Escher’s masterpieces. Read more
Why can’t they see the bigger picture?
So Microsoft (presumably on the advice of lawyers) used the DCMA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) to force Cryptome.org’s hosting provider, Network Solutions, to close down the website and keep a lock on the domain name to prevent the site being relocated. Then a day later the complaint was rescinded, allowing the site to be restored.
This was a bad thing to do? Why?
OK, where should I start? Read more
How to prepare for the collapse of the euro currency union.
Greece uses the same currency as Germany. But Greek government bonds yield almost four per cent more than German government bonds, an all time record for the eurozone.
This is telling us something; really telling us something. The bond market is pricing in a high possibility of default by the Greek state. Read more
Looks like a business school case study in the making
Toyota seems to have spent the last few weeks giving PR people a good example of how not to handle a negative story.
Firstly, there were the stories of floor mats preventing the release of the accelerator pedals and the potential for accidents.
Then, two days ago (on January 26, 2010), there is the halt to production in North America and the recall of another couple million vehicles.
But, worst of all, many consumers do not know that the latter recall is a separate problem because Read more
Unless you’re a shareholder, point your gun elsewhere
During the last few days many of the large Investment Banks have announced staff bonuses. And in many cases these have been at, or near, record levels. This has led to public outcrys.
As a response, some governments have announced special taxes on these bonuses. And the triumverate of governments, central banks, and financial services industry regulators have all railed against the bonuses.
But why are the bonuses so high? Who should be the real target of the outrage? Read more
Doctor Z, want to borrow my spectacles?
Dr Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG (that produces Mercedes-Benz and Smart) is reported in Automotive News to have said of electric cars being on the immediate horizon that “we are at that tipping point now.”
Really? I disagree for several reasons. Read more