Comments on: Does "Nine Inch Nails" Really Get the Web? Do you? http://blogs.gartner.com/anthony_bradley/2009/01/14/does-nine-inch-nails-really-get-the-web-do-you/ A member of the Gartner Blog Network Sat, 03 Dec 2011 04:33:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Anthony Bradley http://blogs.gartner.com/anthony_bradley/2009/01/14/does-nine-inch-nails-really-get-the-web-do-you/comment-page-1/#comment-229 Anthony Bradley Thu, 15 Jan 2009 03:49:32 +0000 http://blogs.gartner.com/anthony_bradley/2009/01/14/does-nine-inch-nails-really-get-the-web-do-you/#comment-229 I agree that all IP isn't created equal and some decisions on what IP to give away are easy if the IP has little relative value (meaning that it is either not costly to produce, provides little competitive differentiation, or its value clearly pales in comparison to what can be gained by giving it away). I am not at all averse to giving IP away. In fact, I belive it is a competitive imperative in many industries and sometimes the only way to gain market share against intrenched incumbents. However, there must be clear understanding of "to what advantage" is gained by giving it away. In the cases where the IP is nearly worthless then, sure, take some chances. But in those cases whare you are giving away clear value, there must be a well thought out reason. It may not be hard dollars, at least not in the short term, but none the less it needs to be strategic. I agree that all IP isn’t created equal and some decisions on what IP to give away are easy if the IP has little relative value (meaning that it is either not costly to produce, provides little competitive differentiation, or its value clearly pales in comparison to what can be gained by giving it away). I am not at all averse to giving IP away. In fact, I belive it is a competitive imperative in many industries and sometimes the only way to gain market share against intrenched incumbents. However, there must be clear understanding of “to what advantage” is gained by giving it away. In the cases where the IP is nearly worthless then, sure, take some chances. But in those cases whare you are giving away clear value, there must be a well thought out reason. It may not be hard dollars, at least not in the short term, but none the less it needs to be strategic.

]]> By: Brian Prentice http://blogs.gartner.com/anthony_bradley/2009/01/14/does-nine-inch-nails-really-get-the-web-do-you/comment-page-1/#comment-228 Brian Prentice Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:53:04 +0000 http://blogs.gartner.com/anthony_bradley/2009/01/14/does-nine-inch-nails-really-get-the-web-do-you/#comment-228 Wouldn't it be nice if every decision in business could and would be based on a crystal clear financial analysis. Unfortunately that's not always possible. So the underlying question here is what IP are you talking about? If you're referring to trade secrets then I agree - don't give that stuff away. But if it's copyright (say some code used to deal with a specific business process) then there may be no differentiating value in that IP. Making it freely available could positively alter the cost dynamics of maintaining this type of asset. Or it could create an amplification effect where what you get back is greater than what you gave away. Even if we're talking about patents we're seeing companies like IBM donating these to patent commons. Not all IP is created equal. Broader "qualitative" frameworks for the treatment of IP are perfectly valid. You might want to look at Larry Lessig's work in the area of copyright Wouldn’t it be nice if every decision in business could and would be based on a crystal clear financial analysis. Unfortunately that’s not always possible. So the underlying question here is what IP are you talking about?

If you’re referring to trade secrets then I agree – don’t give that stuff away.

But if it’s copyright (say some code used to deal with a specific business process) then there may be no differentiating value in that IP. Making it freely available could positively alter the cost dynamics of maintaining this type of asset. Or it could create an amplification effect where what you get back is greater than what you gave away. Even if we’re talking about patents we’re seeing companies like IBM donating these to patent commons.

Not all IP is created equal. Broader “qualitative” frameworks for the treatment of IP are perfectly valid.

You might want to look at Larry Lessig’s work in the area of copyright

]]> By: Anthony Bradley http://blogs.gartner.com/anthony_bradley/2009/01/14/does-nine-inch-nails-really-get-the-web-do-you/comment-page-1/#comment-227 Anthony Bradley Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:47:30 +0000 http://blogs.gartner.com/anthony_bradley/2009/01/14/does-nine-inch-nails-really-get-the-web-do-you/#comment-227 Excellent. Andrew's post is a much better analysis than the Mashable post. It does address results. Excellent. Andrew’s post is a much better analysis than the Mashable post. It does address results.

]]> By: Brian Hellauer http://blogs.gartner.com/anthony_bradley/2009/01/14/does-nine-inch-nails-really-get-the-web-do-you/comment-page-1/#comment-226 Brian Hellauer Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:19:34 +0000 http://blogs.gartner.com/anthony_bradley/2009/01/14/does-nine-inch-nails-really-get-the-web-do-you/#comment-226 You guys need to talk http://blogs.gartner.com/andrew_frank/2009/01/13/rethinking-the-value-of-convenience/ You guys need to talk
http://blogs.gartner.com/andrew_frank/2009/01/13/rethinking-the-value-of-convenience/

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