Random Thoughts - June 22, 2011

• It seems to be the norm, but Bell put their foot in their mouth again. Saying that it's preposterous that consumers should be able to see content on all cellphones and tablets is backwards and wrong thinking. You can sell access to the content and make money. As well, exclusive content does not drive people to particular providers - the hardware and vertical integration does. You'd think that Bell would have learned this by now - it's not like their Mobile NHL has dragged the customers to them.


• Kayden Kross wrote an interesting letter attacking porn piracy (site is probably NSFW, but there is no actual nudity in the article.) She makes a strong point that the pirates could have worked with the porn industry and both could have made a lot of money. But her conclusion only looks at one part of the equation. Instead of blaming the pirates for causing a race to the bottom, she shoud also consider why the porn industry couldn't put together an equivalent website to the porntubes of the world, supported by both subscription rates and ad revenue. If it worked for anime, why couldn't it work for porn?


• Unlike other privacy complaints we have seen, the complaint against eHarmony seemed to be resolved in a sensible manner. Privacy commissioner receives a complaint, investigates, the advises the site of the issues and their recommended way of resolving it. The website responds by saying they are working to implement similiar methods to resolve the issue and also advises of alternate methods to complete the action. Win, win.


• From the category of teh awesome: Patrick Stewart is starring in a production of the Merchant of Venice which is being put on by the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford-upon-Avon. The twist? The play is set in Las Vegas