John Palfrey

Yesterday, our Tuesdays@Berkman series focused on Social Networks.  Senior Fellow John Clippinger
– much experienced in this field from the academic, big corporate, big
government, technology and science perspectives alike — led us through
a terrific two-part discussion about a platform that he and others are
building called “Social Physics.”  They’re onto something
intriguing.  And Mary Bridges wrote up a fun, insightful piece on social networking from the SXSW perspective for the Berkman Briefings series.

The Berkman Center’s flagship executive education program, Internet Law (or “iLaw”), is being offered once again here in Cambridge, MA, on May 13 - 15.  The attendee list is looking terrific.  There’s also a new blog where you can follow the emerging plans.  Registration is still open.

MacWorld has picked up our iTunes case study.  The story implies that we might disagree with Prof. Lessig on one aspect of trade policy (I, as one author, do happen to agree with him on this score, FWIW).

We’re hoping for lots of comments on our draft case study on the iTunes business model and its prospects for international expansion, what it means for consumers and artists, and many other aspects.  It’s the latest production of the Berkman Center’s Digital Media Project — a great team of students, staff, fellows and faculty.

The Boston Globe’s Angelica Medaglia wrote a piece on hearing straight talk from our politicians — reminded me of Dave Winer’s definition of a weblog as the ”unedited voice of a person.” 

Prof. Lessig’s new book, Free Culture, really is free — subject to a creative commons license.  (I think we should all buy it anyway, of course.)

Ethan Katsh, professor at UMass, writes to Paul Twomey, ICANN CEO, to “express [his] great concern over the manner and speed with which the ICANN bylaw requirement for an office of ombudsman is being handled.”

I just noticed that the very impressive Groklaw has posted an informal, but *very good,* transcription of Darl McBride’s (CEO of SCO) presentation to the Harvard Journal of Law and Technology earlier this semester at Harvard Law School. Wow.

Kaye Trammell’s got some good observations on her trip to SXSW; see esp. the Blog Rock Star post, complete with comment follow-up by bona fide BRS Joi Ito.  The Berkman Center had a contingent there, too — along with friends from PRX, EFF and others.  Sounds like it was a good show.

A promising new site from some ABA organizers focused on Internet and the provision of legal services.  I’m curious to see who’s able to figure it out — to make the Net work for practicing lawyers.

They seem to see promise in RSS for lawyers as well.