Tama Leaver dot Net Tama’s thoughts about digital culture, whatever that might mean …

Digital Culture Links: December 15th 2009

Links for December 13th 2009 through December 15th 2009:

• Microsoft Leads By Example, Steals Plurk Code [Inquisitr] - Software giant Microsoft has long punished legitimate users in an effort to stop the piracy of its software, but apparently Microsoft now thinks it’s ok to steal….at least when they do it. Microblogging service Plurk, which has become Asia’s most popular microblogging platform is pissed, and rightly so, because Microsoft not only copied their look for a competing product launched recently in China, they actually lifted 80% of the code as well. The Plurk team writes “We’re still in shock asking why Microsoft would even stoop to this level of willfully plagiarizing a young and innovative upstart’s work rather than reach out to us or innovate on their own terms. Of course, it just hits that much closer to home when all your years of hard work and effort to create something unique are stolen so brazenly. "
• The Complete Guide to Google Wave: How to Use Google Wave - Useful guide to understanding Google Wave. The chapters all available for free under a Creative Commons license.
• Is the DVR Helping or Hurting Your Favorite Show? [ArtsBeat Blog - NYTimes.com] - "Nielsen’s list of the top 10 time-shifted prime time television programs. These aren’t the 10 most-recorded shows, per se, but the 10 shows whose ratings have benefited most from time-shifted viewings. The shows, and the percentage increases that their ratings have enjoyed from time-shifting, are:
  1. “Battlestar Galactica” (59.4)
  2. “Mad Men” (57.7)
  3. “Damages” (56.3)
  4. “Rescue Me” (53.2)
  5.(tie) “True Blood” (46.9)
  5.(tie) “Stargate Universe” (46.9)
  7.(tie) “Sanctuary” (45.9)
  7.(tie) “Heroes” (45.9)
  9. “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” (45.5)
  10.(tie) “10 Things I Hate About You” (44.9)
  10.(tie) “Dollhouse” (44.9)
  10.(tie) “Melrose Place” (44.9)"