Napsterisierung und Venterisierung

Bausteine zu einer politischen Ökonomie des Wissens

Abstract

We use the alternative concepts of napsterization (information sharing) and venterization (commerzialization and control) to characterize the main trends within information markets for organisation, production and usage of knowledge. In particular, “napsterization” will be described with respect to Napster itself, to the DVD conflict, to Digital Rights Management for digital products such as E-books, and to problems and potentials of information sharing in scientific environments. Assuming that knowledge cannot and should not be fully controlled in electronic spaces we suggest that the principles of information sharing, distributed information work, pricing for information, and value-added services should be adopted by the information economy rather than continuing a costly and unwinnable information war" between napsterizers and venterizers.