Very good article written for JISC on digital rights expression languages (DRELs), a set of languages aptly described as ways of codifying "instructions for digital rights management systems". People familiar with DRELs may want to skip directly to part 9, which describes the author's projections on the role of DRELs in the future, though the paper is sufficiently up to date readers may find it useful to look at things like the description of DReaM-MMI, which was only made public in March of this year. I like the distinction between enforcement and trust systems, but I think the article cedes too much to the DMCA-style regulations allowing distributors to supersede fair use provisions. It is not mentioned, for example, that only 59 nations have signed the WIPO provisions in this regard, so it is hardly a 'world standard', as implied in the text. Still, this is a very minor quibble with what is on the whole an authoritative and comprehensive look at the field, and even people new to DRELs will find it accessible. Thanks to Tony Hirst for the link. See also the JISC reports page.
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