RE: [kFW] Kendra Manifesto - will you sign up?...

["Justin Keery" <justin@xxxxxxxxx>]

> I have never seen Kendra as "a purely technological 
> organisation". For me it's always been part marketing the 
> idea too.

Sure, but there has only been discussion of marketing the system and the
idea of the system, and technological issues such as metadata.

I have not seen any Kendra-sponsored debate on the broader issues such
as "how could record companies make more money", "is DRM a good idea
right now", "what do media consumers want" etc

> "Information/education", I understand clearly in terms of how 
> we might actuate it - website mainly, I guess. This was 
> discussed at meetings in the past but it always came down to 
> resources. Plus the fact that there are many sites out there 
> that already have this kind of information. 

I envisage a web site where you can find out about:

- Major sources of downloadable / streamable media
- Streaming / downloadable media protocols and applications
- DRM technologies and their implementations
- Player technologies
- Other organisations with an interest in this area
	(eg frauenhofer, RIAA etc etc)
- Some Kendra-originated summaries of the issues to provide focus

I also envisage Kendra providing:

- a focus for media organisations looking for informed comment on the
above
- events/workshops on the above

> But the biggest issue for me is that there wasn't an easy way 
> to gather the info. But now we have wiki. And soon we'll have 
> something better.

Great, and let's be careful that it is all "useable" and accessible to
people who are accustomed to structured content!

> But what of "advocacy"? How do we actuate that? What do we 
> need to do to fulfill your vision of advocacy for Kendra?

I am looking for the following:

- A platform from which to voice my opinion (let's be honest here!)
- A platform where others are encouraged to voice theirs
- A platform for debate

I think an "opinion" area of the web site, distinct from "information"
area, could support this.

Just as Kendra has in the past organised events to talk about the
technology from a mostly technical point of view, I would like some
future events with a focus on debate, bringing together content owners,
technology owners, and users.

I also think Kendra could provide a "rent-a- vox pop" service to the
media, when a spokesperson is needed on digital media matters.

> For me the "specific" aim is a logical progression of the 
> "broad" aim. 

Sure, but it is just one of several progressions of the broad aim

[reminder: specific aim - to build a system; broad aim - to have access
to media and to be able to pay for it]

> To clarify the "broad" aim in my mind I've always thought 
> that "we want to see the creation of an open archi..." is 
> just as valid. Meaning we don't *have* to be the ones that 
> *research and build* it, we just want to see it happen.

Great! But the *stated* aim is to build it! Not to "see it happen". 
 
> I believe advocacy and development go hand in hand - they are 
> part of the same ecosystem. Just "encouraging media 
> companies" is not enough. 

They are all of value, yes. But they are distinct activities.

> We also need to let them experiment with each other in a 
> neutral atmosphere. Play around with concepts and business 
> models. We can help guide them through this and play with 
> them. That's the idea behind the trials.

Yes of course.

> So, I don't think one (of either advocacy or development) 
> takes precedence over another.

Yes, however Kendra has not focused on Information or Advocacy to date,
or even acknowledged that these might be activities in which Kendra
might be involved.

> That said, I'd be really interested to know what your whole 
> statement of *prioritising advocacy and education/information 
> over the development of a platform* means in terms of what we 
> actually do. Do we do it first? Or spend more time on it?

Spend more time on it.
Put it higher on the website menu.
Or just give it equal billing on the website menu would be fine.

> Much of the potential application of metadata and XML 
> highlighted at  recent Kendra meetings requires advocacy and education
> as much as research and development.

> OK. Could you explain what form of *action* this advocacy would take? 
> What needs to happen for Kendra to take up advocacy and what 
> does it look like?

A simple explanation of the importance of metadata, and examples of what
it might do and now it might work would be GREAT!!!!

I think a well-structured talk which can be delivered at conferences
(with some punchy mock-up examples and a groovier title than "metadata")
would be of huuuuuuuge value.

> Are we to say that companies should not force DRM on people? 
> That they must release all of their catalogue?

My hypothesis is DRM is currently hampering growth in downloads because
DRM as it stands means that a download is far less flexible than an MP3
or CD rip (or just an old-fashioned CD).

My second hypothesis is that failure to release entire catalogue (and to
provide a single source to search for all labels' artists) means that
Kazaa and friends provide an easier place to find what you want.

Following from these, I therefore postulate that given a "single source"
for low-cost downloads offering a full catalogue, there would be far
more interest in legal downloads. I would be at the front of the queue
with my credit card ready.
 
> > My proposed skeleton manifesto for Kendra assumes the following:
> >
> > Kendra is an organisation to promote the concept of "access to any 
> > media, any time, anywhere - with the ability to pay/charge for it".
> 
> This is a good manifesto for consumers of content but, to 
> clarify, when you "access" media then, correct me if I'm 
> wrong, you generally "pay" 
> for it and not "charge" for it. So, if I may restate your 
> skeleton manifesto thus: "giving content consumers access to 
> any media, any time, anywhere - with the ability to pay for it".

Sure.

> So, we also need the content ingress and hence include the 
> content owners/creators without whom we'd have no content. 
> Therefore, we also want Kendra to promote the concepts of 
> "giving content owners/creators publishing access to global 
> media distribution channels - with the ability to charge for it".

Makes sense
 
> And we should also not forget the service providers stuck in 
> the middle. We don't want to disenfranchise them. So, we also 
> want Kendra to promote the concepts of "giving service 
> providers ability to charge for their services". This is 
> really about enabling accounting of media/payment transactions.

Or advocating ways of doing it.
Or providing useful information on the subject.
 
> Promotion of concept can also include assisting with 
> demonstration trials, can't it?

Yes, this is what the R&D arm does.
 
> I'd really like the manifesto to appeal to content 
> owners/creators/publishers as well as consumers.

Of course, we will fail otherwise.

> And also have the service providers represented too - although I think

> they'll pretty much tag along - but it's good for PR.

They will mainly tag along if they can get something out of it. Advocacy
and information can help here too.

> > Kendra's activities will be focused in three areas:
> > - Advocacy... promotion of the idea by fostering ideas, debate and 
> > communication
> > - Information... resources useful to those interested in the idea
> > - R&D... development of technology to further the idea
> >
> I am, always have been and always will be open to ideas from 
> anybody as to how to progress/modify the management of this 
> here project. So, suggest away.

I would get involved in starting up the advocacy/information side.

Volunteers to help, please?
 
> To be clear Kendra Foundation was *not* set up as a framework 
> for this "process" of decision making.

"organisational framework" implies process and perhaps the ability to
make decisions.

> > My further involvement in this project is dependent on 
> support for my 
> > proposed extension of Kendra's activities into the areas of 
> Advocacy 
> > and Information.
> 
> I'd be interested to know how you *measure* this "support". 
> And so know when you've got it or not.

Right now all I feel I need is support from Daniel and the few people
who seem to regularly show up at Kendra events.

For example, if I propose to re-write the Kendra front page (and several
others) and nobody says "no, don't do that", then that would be great.

> That said I do want to introduce more clear ways of 
> ascertaining support than we have at the moment. The idea of 
> a manifesto is one way
> - where people actually sign up to it. And having 
> voting/polls on issues would be another way too.

Agreed.