"Across the planet, people are recognizing the need for an international space to build and coordinate a global framework and common agenda for issues surrounding free culture and access to knowledge.

If users are working on a virtualized PC, or at least a virtualized Web browser, then throwing it out is trivial. So is replacing it with a fresh, uncluttered, uninfected version. Virtual IT is built to be disposable. OK, you've heard about this virtualization magic before. However, it seems too good to be true, and it sounds complicated and expensive.

"...Free Culture is a movement focused on creativity and innovation, communication and free expression, public access to knowledge and civil liberties. Students for Free Culture at Berkeley is proudly hosting the Free Culture 2008 Conference over Columbus Day weekend..."

As demonstrated by the current price for a Dell Inspiron Mini 9, netbook prices are falling very quickly and they started out cheap from the beginning. These price drops are largely driven by improvements in hardware that make the hardware components cheaper, rather than the software getting less expensive, though. This trend poses a problem for Microsoft...

"... While these environmental consequences alone are sufficient reason for many to reject Vista, the disposable computer mentality is a symptom of a larger problem—one that should concern all social activists. That problem is the dependency of activists on software owned and exclusively controlled by entities that design their software in ways directly opposed to grassroots social change.

"@mlinksva just put out a great slide show, albeit the over-use of bullet points ;), that is an overview of CC as well as a general look at the historical trajectories of Free Software and how Free Culture Movement is approximately 10 years behind.

"...They form the social fabric of a free society. Commons do not belong to anyone individually nor do they belong to no one. Different communities, from the family to global society, always create, maintain, cultivate, and redefine commons. ... They produce free software and free knowledge, and create films, music, and images to be shared.

Browser-obsessed netbooks running Google's Chrome operating system will be the freshest thing to hit computing in two decades, Eric Schmidt claims.

"The first International Free Culture Forum will take place in Barcelona from October 29 to November 1 2009. This event will bring together the main organisations and most active voices in the world of Free Culture and Free Knowledge to set common agendas and strategies..."