May, 2009

Code, Pessimism, and the Illusion of “Perfect Control”

by Adam Thierer
Reaction Essay
May 8th, 2009

Adam Thierer condemns Lessig’s Code for its pessimism and inaccurate predictions. Where Code predicted that the future would consist largely of online “walled gardens” offering total corporate control, the walled-garden model has proven a failure. Lessig has recently claimed that he is even more confident today of the predictions he made ten years ago; Thierer doubts whether any evidence supports him. Thierer views Code and the intellectual movement it spawned as essentially one that justifies government control where no such control is warranted. He laments this movement’s growing influence.

Read: Code, Pessimism, and the Illusion of “Perfect Control”

How to Get What We All Want

by Jonathan Zittrain
Reaction Essay
May 6th, 2009

In this essay, Jonathan Zittrain argues that the differences between Lawrence Lessig and Declan McCullagh aren’t really ideological. They’re about process and approach. He personally finds much common ground with cyberlibertarians, but also believes that a great deal of effort must be put forth to create institutions that will preserve an open Internet. Neither the government nor traditional, market-based firms are necessarily well-suited to the task.

Read: How to Get What We All Want