A new age of IP

Much of the debate around copyright and patents is, at its core, really a debate on monetizing and protecting intellectual property, or IP. IP is not a new concept, but in the age where "property" is more often digital bits-and-bobs than physical goods, the way IP is approached is being radically challenged. As a proponent of open source everything, I see the moves of patent trolls as a desperate attempt by greedy organizations to capitalize on a future they simple don't understand. Likewise, the efforts to protect copyright by gigantic media companies through DRM and slow uptake of digital delivery methods is the result of a bloated industry that is clinging as desperately as possible to the old model. The way content and ideas are being created is changing drastically: it is cheaper, easier, and more collaborative. The process of changing IP will be painful, especially to markets that fail to adapt, but it is necessary and inevitable.