Microsoft's MSN arm is currently running a competition for budding filmmakers, Sneak hears, soliciting short films on the topic of intellectual property theft. Thought Thieves asks entrants to convey a world "without protection for intellectual property". It doesn't require a dog's ears to detect the sounds of axes being ground on the part of the world's richest software firm. Still, Sneak does wonder what the world would look like if protection of intellectual property was at the other extreme: and no-one was able to pinch anyone else's ideas. It's rather doubtful that Microsoft would be in a position to sponsor the competition. Would Windows exist if Xerox and Apple had enjoyed perfect protection of their ideas?
The competition opened in May and the deadline for entries is next Friday. Sneak has just received a reminder from Microsoft's PR machine urging entrants "not to miss the deadline", a publicity tactic that suggests entries may be a little thin on the ground.

23 Jun 2005