[eccr] Open Cultures conference - Thursday, 5 June & Friday, 6 June Vienna

Open Cultures is a two day exploratory conference focusing on the politics 
of the infosphere and innovative ways to advance the free flows of 
information. A variety of international speakers will inquire into 
strategies of a counter movement that is guided by the idea of the commons 
and discuss the role of new media.

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Today's infosphere facilitates quick and easy exchange of digitized 
information. The tools of creation and the means of distribution are 
becoming more affordable all the time, continuously expanding the range of 
creators and users. Yet, not everyone is happy with this. A coalition of 
large media conglomerates calls for Draconian measures to stop this free 
flow of information. New restrictive technologies and new oppressive laws 
are being developed right now, in an attempt to create scarcity out of the 
digital abundance. The current security fears are manipulated to equate 
openness with danger in a cynical effort to protect the assets of large 
industries against the forces of innovation.

Against this backdrop, a counter movement is taking shape that is guided by 
the idea of 'the commons': resources accessible to all.

Rather than expanding the means of control to catch up with the ease of 
data processing, this movement takes the free availability of information 
as its starting point. It recognizes that a free society needs free flows 
of information, that the attempt to control information quickly leads to 
controlling people. Creativity - commercial, scientific and artistic - 
requires the ability to easily and freely built upon what others have created.

The conference will survey the new territory of the commons by bringing 
together leading thinkers and practitioners from across the spectrum. We 
want to strengthen the understanding of the shared visions and goals, learn 
from the different experiences and approaches. We also want to send a 
signal that, yes, openness is possible, indeed, it's the only direction to 
move forward.

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Thursday, 5 June & Friday, 6 June

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Location: KARLSPLATZ Project Space, Kunsthalle Wien, Treitlstrasse 2, 1040 
Vienna

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The whole conference will be streamed live.
http://opencultures.t0.or.at/

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Schedule Thursday, 5 June

Location: KARLSPLATZ Project Space, Kunsthalle Wien, Treitlstrasse 2, 1040 
Vienna


  14:00- 15:45

Introduction

Session 1: Free Intellectual Property
The content industry is amassing an impressive array of technical and legal 
means to shore up the current intellectual property (IP) regime. However, 
the model proposed by the industry has its origin in the print world and 
seems inadequate for the electronic environments. Despite the great amount 
of resources marshaled by the industry, it is by no means a foregone 
conclusion that it will succeed. On the contrary, alternative models -- 
based on access and a lack of central control -- are proliferating, even in 
hostile environments.

Eben Moglen: Free Software, Free Culture: After the dotCommunist Manifesto
Professor of Law, Columbia University; Legal Counsel, Free Software 
Foundation; EFF Pioneer Award 2003

Bruce Sterling: Gray Markets and Information Warlords
Novelist; Viridian Design Movement; Dead Media Project The Net's 
Underbelly: Irrepressible Crackers and Warez Cultures


  16:00-17:30

Session 2: Information Commons
A series of technological innovations -- desktop publishing for layout, the 
Internet for distribution -- has made publishing texts easy and 
inexpensive. The publishing industry is in turmoil, some trying to protect 
their traditional turf while others are developing new ways of publishing.
The academic world is at the forefront of innovation. In theory, all 
research results are published for the community at large freely to study 
and comment on, through the publication of further research. In practice, 
academic publications are becoming increasingly inaccessible, due to the 
proprietary nature of the journals in which they are published. 
Subscription prices have risen to such a degree that only very well-endowed 
universities can afford a comprehensive set of journals, particularly in 
the natural sciences. Since this form of 'sneaking' exclusion is contrary 
to academic ideals, it no surprise that new forms of publishing -- open 
access journals, self-archiving -- have begun to emerge.

Ted Byfield: Technology, Turbulences and the Publishing Industry
Parsons School of Design, NYC

Darius Cuplinskas: Budapest Open Access Initiative: Creating an information 
commons
Open Society Institute, Budapest


  18:00-19:30

Session 3: Free Networks
Free Networks strive to realize some of the hopes that were once associated 
with the Internet, for example that it would be a truly de-centralized, 
non-hierarchical network structure. Free networks have the benefit of 
allowing real freedom of expression and the free sharing of digital data 
among peer groups in communities.
Free Networks are not about prescribing the use of one or the other 
technology, but currently wireless Internet technology gives them an edge. 
The use of wireless LAN enables them to cut out the telecommunications cost 
for the local loop, the last mile that goes into the household. Broadband 
internet becomes available for free or cheaply. Free networks establish 
real alternatives for the provision of network communications by empowering 
the users to own and run their own networks. Taking their cue from the free 
software movement, free networks seek to liberate the infrastructure of 
networked communications from the claws of corporate power.

Armin Medosch: Free Networks: An Alternative Communication Model?
Artist; Writer

Julian Priest: Wireless: From Network to Community
consume.net


  19:30-20:00

Panel Discussion



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Carpentier Nico (Phd)
Vrije Universiteit Brussel - Free University Brussels
Studies on Media, Information & Telecommunication (SMIT)
Centre for Media Sociology (CeMeSO)
Office: C0.05
Pleinlaan 2 - B-1050 Brussels - Belgium
T: ++ 32 (0)2-629.18.30
F: ++ 32 (0)2-629.28.61
E-mail: (Nico.Carpentier /at/ vub.ac.be)
W1: http://smit.vub.ac.be/
W2: http://homepages.vub.ac.be/~ncarpent/
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