The ConverStation

Jonathan Zittrain, originally uploaded by Joi.

On Point’s hour two show today was a full-out geekfest—well, as close to a full-out geekfest as public radio can approximate (Gillmor Gang we ain’t).

This show represented an historic first for me personally: I “tweeted” a live call-in program. And while I hope this induced some of you to tune in, I will think long and hard before I do this again. In a nutshell: It is damned difficult. First, there is the matter of translating the conversation into pithy summaries that conform to the number of characters allowed per post. Then there are the sensory overload–induced mistakes such as the numerous typos, which I am sure drove this poor woman to endless distraction, and that damned interstitial—I know, I know: tinyurl.com not www.tiny.cc…It was a mistake…I swear.

Given the right topic and time enough to lick my wounds, I might just try it again. But I need your help. Anyone have advice on how to make this process flow more smoothly?

The show itself was pretty interesting.

After a Businessweek writer provided preemptory analysis of the Microhoo fiasco, we heard from “web guru” Jonathan Zittrain.

It appears that the founder of the Berkman Center, housed at that other university across the river, is so alarmed by where he see the Web going that he wrote, “The Future of the Internet—And How to Stop It.” The gist of his argument: “Closed” or “tethered” applications sired by the likes of Balmer, Jobs et al. imperil a participatory, open, and innovative Internet culture.

Speaking for the defense was Adam Thierer, Director of the Progress and Freedom Foundation’s Center for Digital Media Freedom, who seemed to argue that far from throttling innovation and openness, markets will respond to consumer demands for both.

(I think the above is a fair synopsis of both men’s positions based on listening to the hour. But if you think I am being unfair, use the comment section to tell me so.)

The show’s timing was ironic for us here in the new media department, as WBUR recently found itself on the receiving end of an earnest group of “Open Source” (no, no not that one…this one) activists.

This group’s mission: Get public broadcasters like WBUR to offer Ogg Vorbis—which for the life of me sounds like a character from an endless Tolkien novel, but is in fact an open source streaming technology.

These Org folks petitioned and picked the station. Rather then barricading himself in his office, wailing and gnashing teeth, the department head wisely invited them inside to talk. And to cut this story short: We now PlayOgg.

And by the way, the webmaster says the stream sounds sweet.

Open sourcerers, tell us what you think.