I agree about the necessity of developing new revenue streams. My problem, though, is that the contracts they issue are already hazy about rights and responsibilities in online/digital formats. Before I’m prepared to go hand-in-hand with Rough Guides into new media, I’m going to need them to revamp their contracts so that my rights in my own material as ‘content provider’ or ‘creative’ (whatever) are protected…

But it feels to me like contract law hasn’t really kept up with digital developments. Some over-enthusiastic (and IMHO sorely misguided) people are already talking about the end of copyright. All writers should oppose such an idea. The web has been very effective in seducing people into believing that content (words, music, images) are free, and that everyone is equal when it comes to creating content. Everyone is NOT equal. Some do it for fun, some think they’re good at it, some are actually good enough to merit being able to support their families doing it.

Publishers need to move on, I agree – but lawyers need to move on first!