Mutualist journal club

This service/technology may bring sophisticated automation technology to small enterprizes that value flexibility

http://www.gizmag.com/factory-in-a-day/30053/

Slashdot examines the software design company Valve, which is apparently a non-hierarchical organization. I have yet to read up on this, but it has been covered by Library of Economics and Liberty (Brian Caplan's site, I believe).

I'd like to compare it to more traditional coops, such as the Cheese Board in Berkeley, CA.

From the Economist:

LAST autumn Cody Wilson, a law student at the University of Texas, leased a Stratasys 3D printer. He wanted to print a gun, and more—he and the group he founded, Defense Distributed, wanted to develop blueprints for 3D printing of guns and gun parts, and distribute those blueprints online. Mr Wilson’s motives are overtly political; he wants to “[expand] a free sphere of action…in contradistinction to a planned regulatory scheme…The file is the message. Anyone can have it, anyone can print it, anyone can use it.”

Mentioned in the STOTU speech, I looked up some details:

The President will announce a new proposal for a National Network for Manufacturing Innovation, to build a network of up to fifteen Institutes for Manufacturing Innovation around the country, serving as regional hubs of manufacturing excellence that will help to make our manufacturers more competitive and encourage investment in the United States. The President’s Budget proposes a $1 billion investment to create this new National Network for Manufacturing Innovation.

My impression is that these will be research institutes, not material infrastructure. This clearly won't support home-brew manufacturing technology. The Prez emphasizes "small business" support, but does that mean that these institutes will actually focus on their own technological problems, or does it just mean "we will try not to forget about small business"?

Bypassing the big guys to get broadband - The Washington Post

This article describes a small wireless ISP system in rural Virginia. It's commercial, more expensive than major networks, and eventually taps into the traditional Internet backbone, but it does indicate that small-scale ISPs are possible. Who knows how well this would work in a more densely populated area...but it does suggest that we have an alternative to the big telecom companies, whether in the form of small local businesses or consumer cooperatives.

The Economist discusses "3D printing" -- mainly focusing on the short term impact of this technology (i.e. what will drive its development). Of interest, they mention how this system may cause intellectual property to become even more important.

Technology: Print me a Stradivarius | The Economist

Slashdot Your Rights Online Story | Cook's Magazine Claims Web Is Public Domain

The above Slashdot discussion provides an overview of an interesting strategy for enforcing copyright. This dovetails with Kevin Carson's writings about open-mouth sabatoge, and my own musings about a world without (as many) lawyers. It is interesting because it provides some inkling of how some form of copyright may be enforced by social norms rather than legal sanction. However, there is always the question of what role formal law plays in reinforcing social norms and facilitating coordinated enforcement. The gist of the story is this:

• Several years ago, Monica Gaudio wrote an article about the evolution of apple pie, which was published online
  
• Recently, Cooks Source Magazine republished the article with attribution, but without notifying Gaudio.
• When Gaudio learned of this, she asked for a public apology and a $130 dollar donation to a school.
• The editor responded with a snippy email, essentially telling Gaudio to "shove it".
• Following this, Gaudio's supporters (and supporters of copyright) swarmed the online sites for Cooks Source, and petitioned the advertisers to cease advertising.

I'm not sure if this dispute has been resolved.