We'll know soon enough
Geer's ideas are an interesting blend of old-fashioned capitalist market economics and ... common sense. Can't wait to hear/read his full remarks. Whether it will actually have legs is dependent on a lot of factors, but it seems like the trend in tech is that individuals at the bottom will continue to gain more power as the tech itself becomes more capable. Of course even if we see courts (and legislatures) holding publishers responsible for bad software and withdrawing of legal protection for abandoned code, it's not likely to happen in an orderly way. In fact it will probably come about as the result of public pressure and civil disobedience -- which is something that's already been building for at least 2 decades. One indicator of the direction the wind is blowing will be the outcome of the current campaign to further spread the reach of the DMCA via the latest round of Trans regional "Partnership" treaties over the next few years. It will be an interesting ride.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
