[themartorana]

I'm not sure where to differentiate between the rebel filmmaker and the rebel software application developer - at least not in his analogy.

The rebel artist is there to disrupt social norms through a particular medium. In his time, anti-Vietnam messages were a big one.

Now apps like Uber aim to disrupt social norms through the software medium. (I will argue all day that software is art, BTW.) Just because the author doesn't recognize the movement personally doesn't mean it has really changed all that much.

(P.S. All of author's heroes listed are rich. I fully believe both art and riches can be pursued at the same time, but being paid well for doing what you love is the same as it's always been.)

[digi_owl]

The only thing Uber seems set out do disrupt is labor laws (in the sense of finding some way for them to not be seen as employer).

The whole "app" thing reminds of the silly "with a computer" patents that showed up in the hands of patent trolls for a number of years.

[shkkmo]

Well, they are also out to disrupt the government enforced taxi monopolies using VC money.

I agree that there isn't anything patentable about their approach. We'll see how hard it is to compete with their combination of infrastructure and network effect.

[maus42]

However, I think there might be some (quite substantial) difference between a terrible war and a terrible government-regulated taxi service. The importance and weight of an issue and so on.