Why, when it comes to intellectual property, can we often not see the wood for the trees? A journalist has just received a cease and desist letter telling him not to use his own name. His name? Bill Wyman.

There an interesting problem brewing over EULAs (end user license agreements) according to Robert X. Cringely. It's come about due to a handful of participants subverting Sony's online role playing game, Everquest. They're cheating by using a linux box to give them an overview of the fantasy world that normal players can't see. Apparently that's not allowed by Sony's EULA but they're tolerating it because there are only a few linux geeks involved. There are some indications that the cheating tools now may get ported to windows, in which case the number of players cheating will likely increase. Does this mean Sony will start throwing people off the game as their EULA suggests. It's possible. Cringely reckons it's even possible that Sony may covertly participate in the undermining of their $100 million a year revenue generator, as a way to encourage players to move to their newall singing all dancing online gaming experience. Conspiracy or cock-up? I go for the explanation of increasing entropy.

Berkeley's IP weblog is reporting that "a broad agreement has been struck at the world trade talks in Sydney that ensures cheap generic copies of patent-protected drugs can reach poor countries. Mark Vaile, Australia's Minister for Trade who hosted the meeting, hailed it as an outstanding success." Oxfam, MSF and other ngos are criticising the agreement however on rich-poor nations divide grounds, the politics being stacked in favor of the rich.