[kNews] Convergence: needs interoperability: needs us +meeting

[kNews <k-news@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear All,

"Convergence" is the buzz word for the Kendra meeting. That's why we're 
calling it a "convergence workshop"...
 

- Convergence: needs interoperability: needs us
- Meeting update: Speakers: Nick Ogden, CEO, WorldPay plc
- In The City music convention report
- IIR request speaker for IP Multicast event January 2002


Convergence: needs interoperability: needs us
---------------------------------------------

Let me explain what I mean. But first some definitions:
 
Convergence: all of us getting access to all content (eg video, audio, 
text, web or anything that can be digitised), by any transport method (eg 
wireless, satellite or fixed line), no matter what the device (eg mobile 
phone hybrid, PC or TV with set-top-box), at any time, in any place and 
being able to pay for it seamlessly and conveniently at a price and payment 
method and currency directly agreed between the content owner/aggregator 
and the consumer. Agreed?
 

Interoperability: All devices (both consumer and within-the-network) made 
by different vendors able to talk to each other using recognised and agreed 
languages/machine-to-machine-interfaces. The same goes for communications 
service providers enabling the transport of these languages through their 
networks. For common languages/machine-to-machine-interfaces for payment 
systems, copyright systems and describing content. Agreed?
 

Us: all of us - consumers, creators and (all) service providers. Agreed?

So, back to the subject heading. In order for convergence to happen I think 
we can all agree that interoperability has to be in place. But how do we 
achieve interoperability? Remember we are looking for "recognised and 
agreed languages/machine-to-machine-interfaces" for all our devices.
 

So, don't all the manufacturers/developers of all these devices/systems 
need to come together to find out where their common ground is - to define 
the requirements for their languages/machine-to-machine-interfaces?
 

And don't all the network service providers need to come together to find 
out where their common ground is - to define the requirements for their own 
network interoperability? Content peering (sharing)? Multicast?
 

And don't all the content owners/aggregators need to come together to find 
out where their common ground is - to define the requirements for how they 
describe their content? Content tagging? Metadata?
 

And don't all the payment system providers need to come together to find 
out where their common ground is - to define the requirements for how they 
exchange transaction information? Like the banks do?
 

And don't all the consumers need to come together to find out where their 
common ground is - to define the requirements for their consumer interfaces 
and devices?
 

I guess the question is: how do you fit all these people in one room?! ;-)

Seriously though, for interoperability to take place we all have to come 
together to find out where our common ground is. And not only is it 
important to look for common ground within each individual industry sector 
but, if we want a coherent working system, we must also look across the 
whole content value chain. And that takes discussion. Lots of it. And 
that's what we'll be doing at the Kendra meeting.
 

I've been prompted to this train of thought by my up and coming panel at 
Streaming Media. You can see my post on kFW here:
 
http://www.kendra.org.uk/lists/archive/k-framework/msg00006.html
Please post comments to kFW and not to me directly. Use:
mailto:k-framework@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=Convergence-thoughts
But you'll have to be subscribed before you can send which you do here:
http://www.kendra.org.uk/profile.php#lists


Meeting update: Speakers: Nick Ogden, CEO, WorldPay plc
-------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to Nick Ogden for agreeing to speak at the meeting on 22/10. I'm 
sure you'll join me on the edge of our seats hearing how Nick sees billing 
and payment systems evolving in the content value chain. Other speakers 
include (alphabetically):
 

- Justin Keery, Internet Analyst, Trafalgar Asset Managers, talking: stop 
worrying and start making money.
 

- Neil Harris, Media Channel, talking: metadata and where it's going.

- Stacey Pogoda, Middlesex University, talking: interface design and the 
design process.
 

- Steve Kennedy, Head of Technology Futures, Thus Plc, talking: content 
providers, ISPs, caching and content peering.
 

- Toby Slater, Musician, talking: what artists want.

If you're interested in making a presentation see:
http://www.kendra.org.uk/lists/archive/k-general/msg00064.html

If you are planning to attend the meeting please make sure you are listed 
here:
 
http://www.kendra.org.uk/participate.php#meeting-participants
Or you'll be going without food!


In The City music convention report
-----------------------------------

Toby and I had an interesting half hour presenting our thoughts on life 
after old-style-Napster. Most notable were the audience's answers to our 
questions. Practically all of them had used old-style-Napster. Practically 
all of those said they used it for convenience of having all the catalogue 
in one place rather than the fact there was no cost. But when asked why 
they thought the public at large had used old-style-Napster the audience 
was split 50/50 between convenience and no cost. Then, when asked if they 
wanted one place to get all their content in a convenient way and would 
they pay for it, their hands shot up faster than the speed of light!
 


IIR request speaker for IP Multicast event January 2002
-------------------------------------------------------

We have been asked to provide a speaker for IIR's IP Multicast event 
21-23/01/2002, Holiday Inn Victoria, London. For more details see:
 
http://www.kendra.org.uk/lists/archive/k-general/msg00063.html


Stay tuned to planet Kendra... ;-)

Cheers Daniel

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