As for internet-only television, have you seen CNN Pipeline?

I still think the big breakthrough will be with shows like 24 and Veronica that are 10x better viewed with proper continuity. (indeed, it’s been suggested to me that online Anime sales may be a huge breakthrough, too, since there’s an enormous body of high-quality material that’s again very dependant on season arcs and loyal viewership)

I recently read how NBC (or maybe it was CBS…) was going to be distributing content through iTunes. It’s an excellent way of distributing content because it has a growing population. Take iTunes and podcasts. Free service, and what iTunes provides is a search application to find content. There is always a little talk about how much distribution costs for This Week In Tech (tech podcast), but distribution would not be as great if it wasn’t for iTunes (and the related social software, like ‘100 Most Popular Podcasts’, that comes with it).

I still am waiting to see a wave of commercial distribution based on BitTorrent. It’s the perfect Medium to distribute content cheaply. Can you imagine if iTunes let you find torrents? Wow…would be an explosion of content distribution. I still love the idea of using torrents…essentually you are getting the consumer to pay for the distribution for you. Brilliant.

I’ve been reading the Liberal BlackBerry Blog. It’s hilarious! Scott Feschuk, the PMs chief speechwriter adds some humour and light-hearted fun to the campaign. He even emails you back if you send questions. I was asking about the model of BlackBerry he uses “Uh…a black one” and later thanked him for the “humour that will get us through this long 2 month election campaign” and how we really need it. He replied, “That, and 400lbs of coffee”. A great character.

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about selling content online, and the iTunes model. I welcome the day when an artist like Whedon approaches VCs for funding, and Apple for distribution. Networks have mismanaged quality programming long enough; it’s time for them to be relegated to where they belong: tacky game shows and soulless reality programming.

The power to distribute through iTunes is immense. New music Tuesday? Imagine if every week they gave away pilot episodes of coming shows! Firefly, Wonderfalls, Veronica Mars. In all three cases, I was completely hooked from the pilot onward. (after all, what do you think this is really all about?)

In my initial research, I’ve seen that both uOttawa and UWO have Law and Technology programs. I know that my law career would be quite focused as I just won’t dive into topics such as constitutional law farther than my required dose of it. Mr. French, if you do return, it would be a great pleasure to hear your critique of law schools, particularly uOttawa, UWO, and UofT (which I see you are an alumnus of). With a Engineering Physics degree from McMaster, in general, the path of your career is what I vaguely have in mine as a goal. Any insight is most welcome.

Earlier this year I worked for Natural Resources Canada in the Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, and Transportation Energy division and got a taste of the research side of my technology career. Some of the technologies I got to work with are at least 30 years behind exposure to the general market. Law involving corporate secrets and pending patents for technology were strongly rooted in the majority of the work I did there. Unfortunately it impedes my ability to discuss the new technology with my colleagues at University. Generally I can only say I was involved in emissions testing of Hybrid vehicles, and my main report I produced there was on the Application of Energy Storage Devices in Hybrid Electric Fuel Cell Vehicles. While I do have a report posted (I think a link in my resume off my ‘Portfolio’ page) on my site, I can assure you it has been greatly sanitized from the original one I wrote for the government. Unfortunately government secrets take precedence over my ability to advertise my technical writing skills.

It is a fascinating career. But you should only go into it if you enjoy a deep intellectual challenge. You will never stop learning. They haven’t even figured out how the law should work in every aspect, yet.