Obama's FCC Transition Team Has MMO Background
Obama's FCC Transition Team Has MMO Background
November 19, 2008
The co-chair of President-elect Barack Obama's FCC transition team is a World of Warcraft geek.
That word comes by way of GigaOm, where Wagner James Au writes that Wharton Prof. Kevin Werbach (left), a Net Neutrality advocate is steering the Obama team's takeover of the FCC (presumably between WoW raids).
In fact, Werbach belongs to a pair of WoW guilds. He wrote of his gaming in a 2006 blog post:
I play Warcraft because it’s fun. It’s taking time away from watching TV, reading books, and other entertainment pursuits. But I’m also playing because I believe MMOGs will be one of the primary forms of social software for the next decade. Defined broadly, they may become the dominant form of social software. And you can’t understand games without experiencing them first-hand...
What [WoW] does is provide an incentive for people to develop new software and ideas for collaborative production. Many of those ideas will translate to other group activities, including those within the business world...
As Au notes, Werbach's WoW experience is a plus, since online gamers have a major stake in the Net Neutrality issue. Also of note, Werbach's co-chair, Michigan Prof. Susan Crawford, is an admirer of Second Life:
Professor Crawford, a board member at ICANN, also counts herself “a huge fan of Second Life” for the way it lets users retain IP rights to their content (though she confesses to difficulty when it comes to moving her SL avatar around.)
GP: We're dying to know - does Werbach play Horde or Alliance?
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Posted 11/08/09 at 09:02am
DarkSaber: http://tinyurl.com/yez7jyo
DarkSaber: http://tinyurl.com/yez7jyo
Posted 11/08/09 at 09:01am
DarkSaber: Oh for gods sake, the Gearbox pres is gobbing off about Valve again
DarkSaber: Oh for gods sake, the Gearbox pres is gobbing off about Valve again
Posted 11/08/09 at 08:53am
JDKJ: But cheer up, Austin. If the unemployment rate continues to double-digit as predicted for the next few years, your half-dozen stands a better than likely chance of returning to power.
JDKJ: But cheer up, Austin. If the unemployment rate continues to double-digit as predicted for the next few years, your half-dozen stands a better than likely chance of returning to power.
Posted 11/08/09 at 08:46am
JDKJ: @DS: If he had added the line about "or hiring illegals aliens under the table to work as nannies," it would have been a completely perfect descripition. And, yes, it's about the same difference between a six and a half-dozen.
JDKJ: @DS: If he had added the line about "or hiring illegals aliens under the table to work as nannies," it would have been a completely perfect descripition. And, yes, it's about the same difference between a six and a half-dozen.
Posted 11/08/09 at 08:31am
DarkSaber: My god, that description makes them sound almost Republican. Still what did you expect, Obama is only marginally more left than republicans.
DarkSaber: My god, that description makes them sound almost Republican. Still what did you expect, Obama is only marginally more left than republicans.
Posted 11/08/09 at 01:07am
Austin_Lewis: Health insurance, brought to you by the same kind of bureacrats who couldn't, in timely fashion, investigate the comments of any of the men Obama appointed Czars. Or their past. Or their history of not paying taxes.
Austin_Lewis: Health insurance, brought to you by the same kind of bureacrats who couldn't, in timely fashion, investigate the comments of any of the men Obama appointed Czars. Or their past. Or their history of not paying taxes.
Posted 11/08/09 at 01:06am
Austin_Lewis: Yes, and what a piece of crap it was. Arresting and fining people just because they don't make a personal choice to buy healh insurance, creating over a hundred new bureacracies, and worse.
Austin_Lewis: Yes, and what a piece of crap it was. Arresting and fining people just because they don't make a personal choice to buy healh insurance, creating over a hundred new bureacracies, and worse.
Posted 11/08/09 at 12:24am
ZippyDSMlee: JDKJ:the only trouble is a bunch of witless hacks wrote it....its going to be a train wreck....
ZippyDSMlee: JDKJ:the only trouble is a bunch of witless hacks wrote it....its going to be a train wreck....
Posted 11/07/09 at 11:33pm
JDKJ: BREAKING: In a photo-finish at the wire, House passes health care reform bill. Relatedly, in a fit of pique, Austin Lewis kicks innocent dog.
JDKJ: BREAKING: In a photo-finish at the wire, House passes health care reform bill. Relatedly, in a fit of pique, Austin Lewis kicks innocent dog.
Posted 11/07/09 at 04:27pm
ZippyDSMlee: man I got alot of junk and dup files too >< god I need orginization...and no not the knee capping media mafia kind :P
ZippyDSMlee: man I got alot of junk and dup files too >< god I need orginization...and no not the knee capping media mafia kind :P
Posted 11/07/09 at 04:26pm
ZippyDSMlee: replaced :P
ZippyDSMlee: replaced :P
Posted 11/07/09 at 04:23pm
ZippyDSMlee: beemoh:hey its like 60GB porn,400GB anime 100GB games and crap I have took from all my DVDs, I hate waiting on dvds to install stuff..... oh and 40GB of my porn was in the found.000 folder...mostly corrupted.... least I got names of wut needs to be repa
ZippyDSMlee: beemoh:hey its like 60GB porn,400GB anime 100GB games and crap I have took from all my DVDs, I hate waiting on dvds to install stuff..... oh and 40GB of my porn was in the found.000 folder...mostly corrupted.... least I got names of wut needs to be repa
Posted 11/07/09 at 04:18pm
beemoh: @Zip: ...and you'd have to spend all that time re-downloading that porn?
beemoh: @Zip: ...and you'd have to spend all that time re-downloading that porn?
Posted 11/07/09 at 03:34pm
ZippyDSMlee: ggrrrrr......vista lost one of my hard drives and I had a heart attack thinking I lost 1TB of data....
ZippyDSMlee: ggrrrrr......vista lost one of my hard drives and I had a heart attack thinking I lost 1TB of data....
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:58am
JDKJ: Which could be explained by both (a) and (b).
JDKJ: Which could be explained by both (a) and (b).
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:56am
Austin_Lewis: JDKJ: You forgot C) the fact that, for some reason, every time he did something that would suggest he shouldn't be in the military, let alone an officer, higher ups ignored it or let it slide.
Austin_Lewis: JDKJ: You forgot C) the fact that, for some reason, every time he did something that would suggest he shouldn't be in the military, let alone an officer, higher ups ignored it or let it slide.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:51am
JDKJ: Part of the problem is, I believe, that (a) the Army had a lot of time and money already invested in him and which they were unwilling to simply write-off and (b) an increasing need for the type of skills and services he provided.
JDKJ: Part of the problem is, I believe, that (a) the Army had a lot of time and money already invested in him and which they were unwilling to simply write-off and (b) an increasing need for the type of skills and services he provided.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:48am
JDKJ: And that even if he was begging not to get cut loose, he was apparently a real good candidate for being cut loose, anyway.
JDKJ: And that even if he was begging not to get cut loose, he was apparently a real good candidate for being cut loose, anyway.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:11am
JDKJ: @chada: And while Kennedy once noted that there's usually more than enough blame for everyone to get a slice, the possibility that the Army was unwilling to cut loose someone who was asking to get cut loose could be a factor.
JDKJ: @chada: And while Kennedy once noted that there's usually more than enough blame for everyone to get a slice, the possibility that the Army was unwilling to cut loose someone who was asking to get cut loose could be a factor.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:07am
ZippyDSMlee: *noms on his feet*..nomnomnomnom*droooll* ...wuuutttttt uuu looking at?
ZippyDSMlee: *noms on his feet*..nomnomnomnom*droooll* ...wuuutttttt uuu looking at?
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Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Comments
Wow, maybe our country will progress over the next 4 years...
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Nido Web Flash Tutorials AS2 and AS3 Tutorials for anyone interested.
How to set Xbox 360 Parental Controls
I'm hoping that since there are ACTUAL gamers on the team we might actually get somewhere on DRM,IP,and other issues that, while not as important as health insurance or the enviroment, are relevant to the fact that this is the third millenium and not the 1950's.
Hunting the shadows of the troubled dreams.
Not likely. It's the FCC, not a group that's likely to actually be involve with DRM or the IP czar.
I doubt that... unless doing Molten Core runs is our countries only objective....
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety" - Benjamin Franklin
I can't imagine how hard I'll laugh if the PTC starts getting their letters sent back,.
Nah they will get filed G-13.
(And for those unfamiliar with the term. It's a "waste paper recepticle")
Hunting the shadows of the troubled dreams.
I guess we'll be seeing lots of South Park and Family Guy marathons during the winter months then.
"many of those ideas will translate to other group activities, including those within the business world."
I wonder what business would be like if it were trated like an MMO. Perhaps regular work will be considered grinding for a promotion.
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"What for you bury me in the cold cold ground?" - Tasmanian devil
What, you never worked in retail? It's already a lot closer to an MMO then you would think. Except you don't level up for grinding, you mearly don't get promoted to "customer".
Awesome. Leroy Jenkins in the FCC! ;)
At least he has chicken!
What's with all the celbrity look a likes today. First We have Tim Allen and now George Cloony. Who's next, Oprah?
I do wonder what an Obama FCC will be like. I hope it will be good.
E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
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lol, i was thinking the same thing.
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I am a signature virus, please copy and paste me into your signature to help me propagate.
Wait, so George isn't on the team. >:( I was hoping for Oceans 10, now that B. Mac. is gone.
I hope they tone down censorship on TV. Canada and the UK are allowed to say and show more then we are in the states.
Considering this country was started by people so anal the English said "Get OUT!"?
Hunting the shadows of the troubled dreams.
$20 says he's a UD Rogue would just make sense being a politician and all.
"My name's Barack Obama... and I'm a hunter. My mighty bow slays any enemy in my path, and if the arrows dont get them, my Frost Bear 'Colbert' will. ....my name's Barack Obama. And I'm a hunter."
Well this is good news. He'll be too busy leveling his alts and raiding on his main to worry about the stupid idiots that call in to complain about some guy on the magical moving pictures box saying the "h"-word (h being hole. For some reason, you can say ass, but you can't say ass hole, so they censor out the hole. Smart logic there).
One of the many reasons I was thrilled to vote for Obama was his apparent tech-savvy. This post makes me happy :)
Re: Horde or Alliance, the screenshot from the 2006 article shows a gnome caster of some sort. I'd guess the "two guilds" are one Alliance and one Horde, based on how my WoW buddies operate.
Its always the gnomes.
Have you read "Super and Jazz" yet? If not, then MOVE YOUR ASS AND DO IT!!!
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"Game on, brothers and sisters." -Leet Gamer Jargon
With this mans connections to net nutrality, lets hope he is against the nonsense "fairness" doctrine or "localism"
We're dying to know - does Werbach play Horde or Alliance?
Horde.
Oh wait you mean in the game, sorry.
Hi!
Got attention?
The cynical side of videogames (spanish only): http://thelostlevel.blogspot.com/ My DeviantArt Page (aka DeviantCensorship): http://www.darkknightstrikes.deviantart.com/
...hello?
...Um, hello?
I've got a number of things to say to you, Jack. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to say them all, so I'll just put them in a nutshell and say...
GTFO.
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Collin Griffin, A.K.A. Shadow Darkman, Sane Human Church-Goer, And Jack Has Been Shown The Door.
Looks like Obama's transition team may be pimping soon for a bailout for Take-Two. Shares were at $27 earlier this year. Genius Chairman Strauss Zelnick presided over the stock's close at $9.80 today. Way to go Strauss, baby! But don't worry. Nancy Pelosi plays GTA and can't live without the next version. Help is on the way!
Michelle Obamarama aka Jack Thompson
If your government won't help out The Big 3, which employ millions of citizens directly and tens of millions more by proxy, Take-Two won't get a bailout. I can't understand how your nations government can rationalize corporate welfare when your entire system is suppose to be based around Adam Smiths Capitalist model. Where is the invisible hand? If your government wanted to help the economy they'd have bought out the major lenders and sold them back to the market at whatever they could get, and shoulder the loss.
Wow, interesting... you always talk like T2 were the only videogame company in the planet. Even if T2 would dissapear, there will be another company producing violent games for mature audiences, even if you cry over and over again. And nobody will stop that.
Good luck at life.
The cynical side of videogames (spanish only): http://thelostlevel.blogspot.com/ My DeviantArt Page (aka DeviantCensorship): http://www.darkknightstrikes.deviantart.com/
Mr. Thompson, i'll say it once again: T2's stocks going down was NOT your doing. In case you didn't notice THE WORST GLOBAL ECONOMIC RECESSION IN OVER FIFTY YEARS going on around you, i suggest you look up what 'recession' means. Everyone, and i mean EVERYONE, is losing money because of this.
Secondly, I'm quite positive Obama has much, much, MUCH more important things on his mind than 'taking down' a little video game company, or regulating their sales in any way. What things, you ask? I don't know, something like two wars, this gigantic economic free-fall, and dealing with more death threats than any other president-elect. (though i bet you're blaming that on the 'e-tards' too, right?) But of course, you wouldn't see that. You're the one who was wringing his hands in glee that some guy was ignoring you to talk about the death toll of Hurricane Katrina. I'm sorry, but natural and manmade disasters of epic proportions are much more important to the world than the miniscule death toll of those killed by people who happened to enjoy GTA. (Miniscule in comparison, mind you.)
Third... my God, sir, you're actually PROUD of that infantile username? The only reason i even made this was because i based it off of that of a friend of mine a very long time ago.
David Gagnon, Resident of Reality, and You're Not.
relevance or GTFO
岩「…Where do masochists go when they die?」
WIN.
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"Game on, brothers and sisters." -Leet Gamer Jargon
...my first reaction is a resounding "what."
My second reaction is, how do you know ANY of this? Obama's transition team "pimping" soon for a bailout (and what the holy hell does THAT mean?), Nancy Pelosi plays GTA (huh?)...
You know, I usually feel sorry for attention whores like you. Because they generally need friends. But in your case, you're not even TRYING for it with these sad hijinks. Honestly, I can't feel pity for anyone who doesn't try to improve their situation. -Nekusagi
Do you enjoy the verbal harassment you get every day? Seriously, what do you get out of it? Are you combination attention whore/internet-masochist? Insane? Or did you simply never learn that fire is hot and it burns? Or is it that you want to go down in a final blaze of incompetance?
Secondly, I doubt videogames are high on the agenda. It probably isn't even on their minds right now, what, with death threats, the war, healthcare issues, taxes, and the rest of our economy.
*Yawn* It's just Jack. Lets just smash this little bug with the Banhammer and move on, he's not that entertaining anymore.
Hunting the shadows of the troubled dreams.
I find it hilarious when politians and celebrities claim to play games and then spout crap like this:
"What [WoW] does is provide an incentive for people to develop new software and ideas for collaborative production. Many of those ideas will translate to other group activities, including those within the business world..."
Not even close. The only that WoW does is demonstrate that gamers and particularly the wallets of gamers moms are a very exploitable source of money. All you need to do is create a virutal substitute for cocaine and youll be raking it in. You dont even need in game advertising like they tried to do in Battlefield 2142. You just need to design a game this is a) addictive as hell, and b) make sure that every facet of the game wastes as much of the users time as possible. Throw in easily accessible payment methods like a gamecard and youll be laughing your way to the ebank
I used to play WoW and i quit because i got tired of wasting 10mins watching myself fly from orgrimmar to tanaris. I now play Warhammer online and ive also gone back to neverwinter nights. The only good thing about WoW is that it serves as a prison for all the gamers i dislike playing with and against.