I was recently reading about Lawrence Lessig’s book Free Culture, being available from xml.com streamed. You can access it as a stream, or download. When I came across the student movement at Freeculture.org here are a few excerpts from their Free Culture Manifesto:

“The mission of the Free Culture movement is to build a bottom-up, participatory structure to society and culture,…

We believe that culture should be a two-way affair, about participation, not merely consumption.…

We refuse to accept a future of digital feudalism where we do not actually own the products we buy, but we are merely granted limited uses of them as long as we pay the rent. …

…The freedom to build upon the past is necessary for creativity and innovation to thrive. We will use and promote our cultural heritage in the public domain…

…We will resist repressive legislation which threatens our civil liberties and stifles innovation. …

…we must build a technological and cultural movement to defend the digital commons.”

The full text of the Manifest can be found at http://freeculture.org/manifesto.php.

I strongly agree with the philosophy of the Free Culture.org movement and will be looking at starting a chapter at Seattle University this year.

On an entirely not related note my favorite irreverent squirrel , Foamy rants about copyright protection and Sony’s Root kit

Warning this is not suitable for all audiences:
Foamy is angry and does not use the controlled language that one would find in an EFF brief or in Ed Felten’s Blog Freedom to Tinker

Listen at your own risk: Foamy CD rant