This article looks at the subjects of intellectual property rights and copyright from a range of perspectives. This is all quite a minefield, and in the context of the curriculum it's easy for it to become either boring (bogged down in legalistic mumbo-jumbo) or reduced to a set of "Don'ts".

What I've tried to do here is summarise a range of viewpoints in the form of brief statements and questions, and suggest ways in which the material might be used in a school context.

I have also tried to keep myself out of it, in the sense that I've reported, as faithfully as I can, a range of views expressed at a conference I attended, without attempting to put my own spin on them.

Lots of people have a blogroll -- a list of blogs which the blog or website owner reads -- on the front page of their blog or website. I happen to think it is a practice which sets a poor example to students whom we instruct to set up a website as part of an assignment.

Here are the reasons that I don't have one myself.

We're taking a break from publishing articles here until after New Year. You may notice bits of website maintenance going on, but that's about all. The time will be spent resting and preparing for some upcoming presentations.

If that leaves you with withdrawal symptoms, here's a list of articles you might like to check out....

Incidentally, the same techniques, with a bit of adjustment, work for any social network situation where people can become your "friend".

I've come across 6 microblogging services that you may find interesting, though I doubt you will find them useful (apart, perhaps, from the one concerning members of Parliament or members of Congress).

Still, who am I to judge? Here they are, and don't say I didn't warn you.

I often read blogs or articles which allude to the exciting nature of the possibilities of using video and podcasting in the curriculum, as opposed to spreadsheets. I think this raises a number of issues:

Firstly, why even bother to teach spreadsheets given the apparently more exciting possibilities offered by video and so on?

Secondly, is it true to say that spreadsheets are, in their very nature, boring?

Thirdly, even if they are, does it matter?