A profitable infection called sharing

An abominal trait of the hierarchy-bound is their arrogant conviction that any "knowledge other than mine" is subordinate and inferior. First I thought it was a just an aberration, then I started noticing it with some kind of predictability. It is tiring, reprehensible and silly, but true.

The relief comes from the same world around me. The world that is riding on sheer intelligence, merit, knowledge and innovation. This world gave us digital cinema, blogs, Google, Torrents, Skype, Youtube, Roberto Rodriguez,Arundhati Roy, Alexandro Innaritu and countless innovators that make living exciting despite all the travails associated with it.

Skype was a revelation. About 130 million users and at least eight million online any time, still connecting voices with crystal clear clarity across the world. "Skype" became the alternative word for speaking on Internet and broadband became a means to skype. Not many know that it came from Scandinavia though the public relations and deals were driven from the front ends in New York and London. Shopping for future powerhouses, e-Bay bought it for US $ 2.6 billion.

For the innovators, it could have been the end or the beginning. Perhaps the beginning of a lifelong party that can last generations. But the 30-something innovators started off yet again and are almost ready with their new online wonder - Joost. It is TV on the Net. Not streaming, not youtube, but real TV on the Net. I am not too sure how best they look, but the previews look convincing. Based on technologies that gain from online sharing, Joost promises to convert our computers to anytime, anywhere TV. More people get online, the better becomes the quality - something that turns the directly proporational relationship between dwindling bandwidth and increasing users on its head.

There are several channels listed, some of them available only in the US and some in selected regions, but others in all parts of the world. Let's wait.

Why am I getting excited? Because I have signed up to be a beta user, which Joost had opened a while ago. Recently I received an email from them saying that I can soon get Joost. I am waiting while spreading the word. In a world of rights-violative and profit-driven patents, sharing has always been my mantra. Sharing was fun, sharing was exhilarating and sharing was decent. Now I realise, sharing gives more than goodwill returns too.