[Air-L] CDs and DVDs? + potentially inappropriate query

[Dan L. Burk]

I understand the reviewer's point, but wouldn't get too confident about
what types of media are or are not relevant to the audience. 

Vinyl records, for example, have made a surprising comeback and I think
all of my students understand what they are when they come up in
discussions. 

On the other hand, I was floored two or three years ago to find that
none of the students had any idea what a player piano roll was.  (I
anticipated that none of them would know anything about punch cards, or
Jaquard looms, but the blank stares at player pianos was a surprise.) 

But then this year, I didn't have to explain player pianos, because the
students were all familiar with the opening credits of "Westworld." 

Next year, who knows? 

So these things come and go.  Just add a footnote explaining CDs if you
are uncertain. 

I also disagree pretty strongly about FLOSS.  It remains an enormous
headache for developers.   

Cheers, DLB 

On 2019-05-03 00:26, Charles M. Ess wrote:

> Dear colleagues,
> 
> I am revising my _Digital Media Ethics_ for a 3rd edition (!!), due out early next year.
> 
> A first query: an important criticism raised by an astute and most helpful reviewer has to do with (a) using an example of stealing a CD and (b) a larger discussion of FLOSS and copyleft schemes such as Creative Commons licensing, etc.  The reviewer observes that (a) his/her students simply will not recognize or relate to the example involving a CD as, briefly, streaming services have largely taken over music consumption practices and very few, if any, students still purchase CDs.  Similarly (b) FLOSS is more or less no longer a relevant topic; rather discussion of copyright / copyleft is now much more focused on remix practices.
> 
> Based on what I know of the US/UK contexts, the reviewer is clearly spot on, and I'm genuinely very grateful for the insightful critiques and constructive suggestions, and will do my best to pursue these.
> 
> At the same time, however - and this, at last, leads to the query - I'm wondering how culturally/nationally variable these points may be?
> That is: (a) I know that in this here Scandinavia, despite the overwhelming predominance of consumption via streaming services, CDs (and DVDs) are still prominently on offer, not only in brick-and-mortar and online stores: they are also _de rigueur_ at every concert I've attended, i.e., for sale at the end thereof.  There is no doubt that their sales numbers have plummeted - now outdone by vinyl in some cases - but here, I have the impression, they remain familiar artifacts?
> Similarly (b) I think I know that interest in FLOSS production and distribution remains strong in Latin America and at least some parts of Asia?
> 
> So: only for the sake of having a better global sense of these points - if AoIR-ists can offer culturally-/nationally-specific quick characterizations of how far
> (a) physical media such as CDs do / not remain relevant in especially student music consumption, and/or
> (b) FLOSS - including ongoing development and distribution of software (beyond the usual suspects of Mozilla products, wikipedia, etc.) is / no longer of any significance?
> 
> I hope this query might be of general interest as it would give us at least a quick and dirty snapshot of all of this.
> Again, the point is not to somehow counter an important critique and helpful suggestion.  On the contrary, I gratefully take the points and suggestions - but want / need to know how far these may hold globally as the book is aimed towards a global audience.
> 
> Second - potentially inappropriate - query.  In conjunction with this revision, the publisher (Polity Press) has asked me to develop a list of colleagues who may be interested in receiving a review copy of the book when it is published - along with a list of journals that might likewise be interested in reviewing it.
> 
> If you are so interested and/or have a suggestion for a journal / reviewer, I'd be very grateful if you would contact me offlist with your contact details and/or journal suggestions.
> 
> As usual, a thousand thanks and all best in the meantime,
> - charles
> -- 
> Professor in Media Studies
> Department of Media and Communication
> University of Oslo
> <http://www.hf.uio.no/imk/english/people/aca/charlees/index.html>
> 
> Postboks 1093
> Blindern 0317
> Oslo, Norway
> c.m.ess at media.uio.no
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-- 
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 
Dan L. Burk
Chancellor's Professor of Law
University of California, Irvine
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