Shah asked:

"Managing the delicate balance between the commercial use of the Web and the rights of the Internet
community as a whole is an ongoing challenge facing the digital enterprise. The rapid growth and
predominance of commerce on the Internet makes it easy to overlook its many other facets —
educational, social, creative, and artistic, to name a few. Indeed, to view the Web solely in
commercial terms and to ignore its larger role in society is an oversight that can have unwelcome
consequences.

So much of what we have discussed about the Internet has focused on its enormous commercial
potential and the benefits that flow to consumers and businesses alike. We must also recognize how
the power of the Internet can be abused. The early proliferation of unsolicited commercial e-mail —
commonly known as "spam" — is just one example. The ease by which someone can send a
message to millions of individuals is more of a curse than a blessing when used to send unwanted
commercial solicitations. From clogging the network to clogging our mailboxes, "spam" when left
uncontrolled has the potential of making the Internet a less hospitable environment in which to
communicate.

As the Internet evolves technically, it evolves culturally. It is the culture of the web community that
sets the boundary on what is viewed acceptable and unacceptable behavior. In the case of the latter,
the ability for consumers to protest, to organize boycotts, or to simply take their business elsewhere
has never been greater.

[Source: http://www.ecommerce.ncsu.edu]"

Based on the above scenario, my task is to write on the following topics concerning Web Ethics:
"Intellectual Property: Information and Software". I'm still confused and need more information about
this question.

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Try not to think too formal. I'll partly try to answer your question, looking at my own experiences.

4 years ago, I got disabled at the age of 45. Using the web in 1 year I made a good start in philosophy
and in programming (mind that I made use of my experiences and of my degree in math). This would
have been impossible in a formal system of education. Of course on my way I met a lot of unwanted
spam, but also of really good methods to get rid of it. Now after 4 years I dare to say that I'm an
acceptable philosopher and fairly good practitioner of HTML (the most used programming language
on the web).

So the most important possibility that I found on the web was "freedom of information". In the 4 years
that I intensively used the web this new way of communicating was obviously more and more used
too for commercial purposes. It can be annoying when you're looking for information, and find an ad
about a book on the subject. Maybe a division between informative content and commercial content
would be handy. Further evolution of the web will show if that'll be chosen. Sometimes (but not
essentially in evolutionary eyes) this can be speeded up by pressure groups. That does not mean
such protest is not useful, but that it's part of the game (do it if you like it, don't expect results but
enjoy the game). That is a relativist view, but acknowledging that everybody must act to 'feel well'. It
is not saying that such a feeling is not very important. On the contrary, it is the driving force in
evolution.

I also noticed that copying became an accepted practice. I found part of my own sites on those of
others. That is at first very annoying, but it showed that my site was read well. And I made it to be
read. Only my pride was hurt a bit. But I certainly wouldn't want that rules made my newly found
freedom of information impossible or very difficult. The notion Intellectual Property is changing, but I
already hated articles that were for 75% only references.

Someone who copies to extend knowledge USES your information in his own context. WHY NOT,
that's the way to speed up knowledge. Someone who only copies to steal is misusing your
information. Maybe that's the cost inherent to sharing knowledge.

Henk Tuten