What did all that dot-com stuff really mean? Was it just momentary insanity or an early harbinger of even more profound changes? With a few years’ perspective, a really thoughtful observer might actually make sense of it all. Bruce Abramson is that observer.

In Digital Phoenix, Abramson teases out the long-term implications of epochal events like the Microsoft trial, Napster, and the open source revolution. Says Abramson, events like these illuminate the No. 1 issue we face: how best to promote idea creation and dissemination. What public infrastructure should be put in place? How should idea creators be protected? How do we prevent “incumbents” from using their clout to prevent change? Which industries will the information industry “eat” next?