IP 6 Summary

Proprietary Systems Dominance This is overstated since we have many systems and activities that are non- proprietary including education, non-profits, social relationships, and other areas where non-proprietary production is important Assumption that property and markets are the roots of all growth and innovation is open to question

Expansion of IP rights These act as a tax on nonproprietary means of production. –For example software patents –Access to scholarly information Key question is who benefits?

Effect of Information Technology IT makes nonproprietary models of production and distribution more attractive –Reduced barriers to entry –Reduced production costs –Reduced distribution costs

Peer Production Rise of peer production and peer distribution –Blogs –P2P –Open source software Challenge to the traditional thinking about the economics of information production