links for 2007-10-23

“MySpace, the website that redefined the meaning of friends in cyberspace, is showing signs of fatigue, with latest figures indicating that Australians – or at least hip ones – are deserting it for rival Facebook.”

“A poll by The Times of 3000 fans who bought the album found the average price paid was £4 ($9.20) … On those figures, on the first day alone, the band would have collected more than $10 million, and by cutting out the middle man…”

Jason Mittell ponders how much authority J.K. Rowling.has over the Potterverse now the books are complete. Is outing Dumbledore canon or fanon? Is it more than a little disappointing being gay really wasn’t explicitly discussed in the books at all?

According to Cory Doctorow, Bloodspell is “the first feature-length machinima film, made entirely with a game-engine, and it’s a pioneering and important start for a new industry.” (Free download, too!)