It’s the same as the record companies and Napster. They could have (should have) found a way to use the P2P network to build buzz, aggregate evangelical super-fans and, duh, sell a bunch of records. Who won that battle? Apple, Inc. And with their typical generosity, the labels are sniping at Apple, trying to squeeze another couple of points out of the iTunes deal that’s done so much to keep them afloat.

Or look at the TV networks and their reaction to YouTube. What’s that stupid site they created, Joost, right? Is that even still in business?

There’s a complete lack of getting it on the corporate side (present company excluded, natch). In the little Web 2 class I give, I have the word “counter-intuitive” on the screen about 10 times. It’s hard for old-school managers to understand that things like fan-fiction and other home-grown “IP theft” are good things.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then IP sharing is the quickest route to a self-organizing market.

So it’s no surprise that the Hassenfeld Brothers et al, located right here in lil’ ol’ Pawtucket, RI, lack the foresight to capitalize on the opportunity. They can only see a threat.