Gabe NewellFuturist and Software Designer

Early Work

- Initially worked for Microsoft - Self described “producer” of the first three Windows iterations - Left Microsoft to form Valve - Became agitated with Microsoft’s stance on software ownership

Valve - Based most of their software on creations from fans of popular video games - Based his software on openness and transparency- integrated mod support- considered modded content the property of creator - believed that ISPs, publishers, Digital Vendors, and internet companies were censoring digital property and setting back innovation

Steam- was created to allow developers to a distribution method that would not impede on their creativity - no need for publishers- allowed the price of the the creative to be determined by the creator

Copyright Ownership- The software belongs to the creator not the publisher- Only censor crude and hate filled content

Is Digital Software a Service or a Product?

- Digital distributors typically force developers to relinquish control of their software by stating that they are providing a subscription service to customers and not selling the product as a vendor - Vendors are able to create a monopoly that only allows software they deem beneficial to them to be sold- Innovation and creativity is cut out for more bankable products ]

Service Structure - Gabe believes that this service structure destroys innovation of software - without proper software support the computing technology of the future is lost

Product Structure-This is the structure utilized by Gabe and Valve- Designed to keep copywrite power with the creator

Gabe’s Perspective- why not allow people to buy the actual product and do what they want with it?- Create a creative environment that will stimulate growth and innovation to better mankind

Steam’s Ownership Agreement

- Took his ethics into this products by creating an ownership agreement with customers that would allow them to hold individual ownership with each product bought - Some limitations

Physical Hardware and Innovative Software

- “computers are dumb they do only what we tell them to do”- Physical computing hardware relies heavily on software and if companies limit consumers they will be unable to move humanity forwards a brighter technological future

The Future and The Digital Age

Why Digital Ownership is Relevant to Net

Neutrality?

ISP’s and Gabe Newell

Working with Other Companies

Combating Internet Piracy

- “you must understand that we have to compete with free”- offer consumers not only a fair price but an avenue of creation that will better themselves and their fellow man

Open Architecture Operating Systems

- Provide people with the ability to manipulate and change the product they are buying-Promotes customer loyalty with developers - Allows for software to be used in different ways

MODDING - The Open Architecture and transparency models that Gabe has championed has lead to the creation of programs such as “Autocad, Adobe Flash, Source Engine, Blizzard Engine, Pinnacle Editing, Visual Basic Squared”

Company Transparency - His vision is to change the software industry into an open “digital ecosystem”- only then would software be able to truly work in conjunction with computer hardware advancement

Why is Software Transparency Important to Net

Neutrality and the Future - Gabe’s vision is that software should be transparent to the user and base code accessible to every consumer - Withhold source code for software limits innovation and the pursuit of future technology