I’m still fascinated when I check out one link and then five clicks later end up somewhere completely unexpected.  We’re bombarded with so much content these days, I think some of us frown upon the idea of anything but deliberate Web search.  Obviously there’s a time and place for randomly “surfing” the Web (not at work people!), but as the new Facebook “Like” button and countless other services suggest, it’s more likely that you’ll find relevant content when the path starts with a trusted or proven resource.

This morning I was scanning Twitter and came across a post by the venture capitalist Fred Wilson.  Fred is a well-known player in the VC game and an avid blogger.  His Tweet/blog post led me to Patent Absurdity, a fascinating short film about the history of intellectual property and the debate over the validity of software patents.  The film argues that our current legal system encourages litigation and discourages innovation.

I was impressed by the film’s clever approach to storytelling so started Googling around to find out who was behind it.  I learned that Luca Lucarini had directed the film, and it was funded in part by a grant from the Free Software Foundation.  Turns out Luca has been involved in a few technology-related documentaries including Steal This Film.  A few clicks later I found myself glued to the computer screen for another 30 minutes learning about file sharing, piracy and the popular BitTorrent site Pirate Bay.  It’s a captivating story presented with the same creative approach that makes Patent Absurdity so engaging.

Check out these films and continue “surfing” when you have the time.  It may sound obvious, but when you start with a link from a trusted resource you’re more likely to stumble upon something valuable.  This morning’s exercise also reinforced my belief in the significant long-term value of Twitter (Fred’s an investor) and further demonstrated the opportunity Facebook has with the new “Like” button….if they can overcome the privacy backlash, but we’ll save that for another post.

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