Thoughtful writing in the current Wired magazine by Chris Anderson (he of the Long Tail) in an article about the business and relationship transformations happening, in what he calls the “peer production era.”
I like his conclusion:
[…] This isn’t amateurs versus professionals; it’s each benefiting the other. Companies aren’t just exploiting free labor; they’re also creating the tools that give voice to millions. And that rowdy rabble isn’t replacing the firm; it’s providing the energy that drives a new sort of company, one that understands that talent exists outside Hollywood, that credentials matter less than passion, and that each of us has knowledge that’s valuable to someone, somewhere.