Andrew Grossman

Just a Correlation, Nothing More

This post isn’t meant to prove anything, just to note something of some small significance–a data point, basically.

Digg is major gathering point for the pro-open source, anti-big company, anti-DRM crowd. To be sure, many others use the site, and most Diggers who hold these views are casual about their advocacy and not among the hardcore folks who hang out on more focused sites.

But sometimes I wonder whether among casual holders of this creed, the motivating factor isn’t political, philosophical, or ideological, but just to get something for nothing.

So note the current top stories on Digg:

Votes Story
2061 Windows Vista One Click Activator-BIOS Emulation Crack (Paradox and CLoNY)
1174 It has Been LEGAL to Unlock Your Cell Phone Since November 2006!
726 Walmart Sends The Consumerist A DMCA takedown notice.
621 “To whom it may concern: file-sharing is illegal”
498 The Pirate Bay’s Torrents Quadruple in a Year

Just a correlation, proof of nothing in particular.

March 13, 2007 | Comments |

Viewing 2 Comments

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    As a pro-open source, anti-DRM (but not necessarily anti-big company) libertarian, I would be interested in reading your analysis of our political, philosophical, and ideological arguments. I think that would be more enlightening and productive than speculating on our motives.
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    The only story there that might fit the "something for nothing" bill is the first one. For better or worse, screwing Microsoft is pretty much an ideology in itself. None of the other four stories comes anywhere near promising something for nothing. All five stories relate to the way the Internet and "IP" law find it pretty much impossible to peacefully coexists. That's the most important tech story of the decade, so why shouldn't that be the topic of the Digg Top 5.

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