Recently, Washington Post military correspondent Tom Ricks reported on the problem of a "porno virus" being spread by both American and Iraqi military personnel that have obtained and are now trading illegally copied DVDs – a situation which I briefly expanded upon in an XBIZ News story entitled "Is Bootleg Porn Threatening National Security?"

When covering malicious software attacks of any kind, it's important to strike a balance between covering the facts of the story without revealing details that might be useful to budding hackers — and this piece was no exception — and while I don't want to give bad ideas to the wrong people, it's important that these threats be identified so that they can be addressed and resolved.

Having said that, there's an additional dimension to the story that I'd like to share with you here, which deals with the issue of content piracy, as I reprint below the comment I left about Ricks' piece on the Washington Post website:

"This is an example of the widespread and diverse nature of the problems resulting from the illegal duplication and dissemination of copyrighted intellectual property — in this case, adult entertainment.

While the financial impact of piracy and content theft on the legitimate adult entertainment industry is conservatively estimated to be in the tens of millions of dollars annually, the security threat posed by the rampant trade in unauthorized DVDs and the malicious payloads these bootleg materials may carry, such as Trojans, key loggers and other malware that could gain access to, and transmit to its creators, sensitive information with direct military value, is incalculable.

The price of copyright violation and content theft can indeed be greater than a simple financial loss for the material's producers. In this case, it can cost lives.

This isn't a "porn" issue; it's one of theft and national security.

When America's fighting soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are not allowed to purchase legitimate, licensed adult entertainment materials on-base, this situation is bound to occur — and the consequences might be disastrous."

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While the industry struggles with the impact of piracy on our bottom lines, it's important for us to remember that there are other, far more important costs to this digital scourage.

It's no secret that some of America's largest corporations profit directly from adult entertainment offerings, including those made through hotel pay-per-view services – despite ongoing public protests from various faith-based organizations and special interest groups.

Typically targeting the lonely business traveler or other guest looking for a way to unwind at the end of the day, these premium adult video services, though historically profitable, may be facing increasingly hard times – and an increasingly uncertain future.

Indeed, many of the same market forces that are impacting both the physical and virtual distribution channels are also affecting the consumption of in-room erotica; much to the detriment of profits and chagrin of corporate defenders who may no longer have a very compelling reason to ignore the cries of the enemies of free speech and consumer choice.

While accurate figures are hard to come by as adult PPV figures are rarely broken out of overall "guest services" on publicly available financial reports, anecdotal evidence of a downward usage trend can be found in a "Question of the Day" that was recently posed by technology website Gizmodo which asked its readers "Hotel Porn Or Bring-It-Yourself Porn?"

According to the Gizmodo website, "…in this day and age, with iPods and portable media players and laptops and portable hard drives, what kind of person still orders hotel porn? It's expensive, slightly embarrassing ('Ma'am, I have never even heard of Dirt Pipe Milkshakes'), and unhygienic (think of who touched those remotes before you). So we pose the question to you, our faithful readers. Do you enjoy hotel porn, or do you bring a sack lunch?"

At the time of this writing, 407 respondents accounting for 10.6 percent of the vote stated that they preferred to view hotel erotica, while 3440 respondents accounting for around 89.4 percent of the vote preferred to bring their own porn on the road with them.

There were also over 85 comments, many of which expressed similar sentiments, such as this example posted by "AZTriGuy" who is not a fan of the hotel's watered-down fare: "First off, with this day and age of YouPorn and others, who even needs to pay for porn these days? That and the hotel stuff is always somewhat censored and expensive as hell."

The widespread availability of in-room Wi-Fi or wired broadband access and its resultant doorway to the mountains of free porn on the Internet was frequently cited as a reason why hotel services were being eschewed.

While certainly not a scientific sample, there were a decent number of responses, with this data being compiled within around 24 hours of the poll going live.

The bottom line is simple: fewer people are seeing the need to pay for porn; whether it's at home or on the road – and it's no longer just "the little guys" that are being hurt...

I want to tell you a little story about the huge menace posed by the relentless advance of technology and the demands of 'keeping up' that it poses on smaller operators without the benefit of IT departments and other timely, qualified, on-site assistance.

Yep, I'm having computer problems again and I want it to serve as a lesson to you all…

You see, my lovely wife Dawn just bought a fancy new widescreen Dell laptop running Windows Vista and I'm giving her a hand in transferring the files from her old laptop on to the new one. The problem is that I tried to take the "easy" way out.

Vista supports a feature known as Windows Easy Transfer, which according to its website, "helps you to easily move the files and settings stored on your PC running Windows 2000, Windows XP, or even Windows Vista to a new PC running Windows Vista. Windows Easy Transfer will automatically transfer things like: user accounts; files and folders; e-mail messages, settings, and contacts; photos, music, and videos; Windows settings; program data files and settings; Internet settings … let Windows Easy Transfer do the work for you."

It sounded good and I went to BestBuy to pick up an "Easy Transfer cable" – a special connector that uses a USB port – and easily connected the two laptops together.

Perhaps I should have known better and investigated the advanced options more closely, but the on-screen prompts had recommended that I stick with the default settings and transfer everything – all I needed to do was push the button – Heck, Microsoft knows more about its software than I do, so I pushed the button like it said.

Yeah, I know; be careful what you ask for…

I won't get into the litany of problems I created for the new laptop (and my network), but suffice it to say I went looking for the "undo" option, only to find out that there isn't one – and worse yet, I wasn't able to successfully return to any previous restores point on the new box in an effort to return it to its original configuration.

I'm now slowly working through the issues and making sure my sweetie is able to work with her new system as efficiently as she did with her old one – and I seriously regret having used the "Easy Transfer" process.

Googling for solutions reveals that I'm not alone in this, so if you find yourself needing to transfer your old files to your new Vista box and thinking "how can I make this all go easier?" – I know an option you should be very careful about trying!

"Content is king" they claim, and given the vast size of some paysite's member's areas, this statement is apparently true – with some sites offering a seemingly endless supply of photos, videos and more to an increasingly insatiable audience.

But what happens to smaller operators with a limited content supply – are there ways in which they can make that content palette appear more robust – or are they doomed to failure in an age of 'tube' sites and other mega-channels of free porn?

While the question of the survival of many small paysites is an open one, operators that are planning for the future need to find ways in which to leverage their content.

Although quality issues are beyond this discussion, the perception of quantity can be impacted through your presentation of the content to the viewer. But not so fast – how that impression is impacted, for better or for worse, may be a matter of preference for each individual member.

For example, consider a small website starting up with 50 galleries, each linked to using thumbnail images: Which would make the site appear more "full" – a single page with 50 thumbs on it, or 5 pages with 10 thumbs each – or even 10 pages with 5 thumbs each?

Your perception may differ from that of many other users.

For example, I personally think multiple pages would look "fuller," but my wife likes the convenience of displaying everything on one page, which allows for easy comparison and selection of desired items.

"I want to see it all at once," my wife said, showing me the Spiegel website as an example, which offers a choice of viewing 9 items per page with controls to navigate the product pages or a 'view all' option that removes the navigation controls and displays all relevant items in a long scrolling list.

"Give users the choice of which they prefer, just like this," she opined, insightful as always.

This brings up the issue of whether surfers prefer scrolling down long pages or clicking through multiple pages – but offering a Spiegel-style choice leaves this up to the viewer.

While we haven't answered the question of which presentation appears more robust, and it appears that there is no "right" answer, offering multiple content display options gives the viewer a level of interaction and choice that can provide a positive impression and suits the needs of all users.

Hopefully the chosen presentation mode leaves the viewer satisfied with your offerings.

With all of the American election-year news stories going around, I thought I'd take a moment to switch things up and bring you an election-related story from the land of my ancestors; Poland.

As countries around the world struggle with the advent of technology and the usefulness of its applications, one of the areas to receive attention is on the political front in general and the management of electoral rolls and the overall voting process in particular.

For example, here in the states, electronic vote counting and its inconsistent paper trails is a subject of much debate; while in Poland, the issue for the election commission is one of whether or not to allow voting via the Internet as a means of increasing participation, especially among younger voters.

While many arguments can be made about the security of such a process, it seems that one politician opposes net voting based on a different set of reasons: that Internet users tended to be folks that watch "pornography while sipping a bottle of beer."

"I am not an enthusiast of a young person sitting in front of a computer, watching video clips and pornography while sipping a bottle of beer and voting when he feels like it," Former Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski stated on his party's website, adding that Internet users are "the easiest group to manipulate, to suggest who to vote for."

Kaczynski, who once ruled Poland alongside the president, his twin brother Lech, admits to not having a cell phone or bank account, so his views of the typical Internet user are to me at least, a bit suspect.

The point to all of this is that regardless of the arena, there will always be 'haters' as well as misinformed – and misguided – individuals that seek to impose their will on others. While this is an unfortunate truth, right-thinking people know not to stereotype people and to keep an open mind – whether the issue is porn or politics.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to sip some beer and surf some porn...

If you've been noticing a recent increase in web traffic, you're not alone: more people are spending more time on the Internet – and some adult website operators are benefiting.

It's not just the growing number of people surfing the web or the time they're spending online, but the money they're spending and the way in which they're doing it that is good news for e-commerce merchants.

For example, Nielsen//NetRatings is reporting across the board increases in user metrics such as sessions per person per month; domains and pages visited per person per month; and page views per surfing session.

In simple terms, consumers are looking at a greater number of websites; drilling deeper into them to more thoroughly view their content and then clicking on more links to other websites – which increases the chances that one of those sites may be yours.

They're not just looking however; they're also buying.

According to Alex Burmaster, a European Internet analyst for Nielsen Online, online shopping has risen by 40 percent in the past two years, going from roughly 627 million customers (one in ten of the world's population) to 875 million.

Burmaster also claims that more than 85 percent of Internet users have shopped online; with half of all users having made an online purchase within the past month.

An interesting and ironic statistic is that books are the most purchased item online, accounting for 41 percent of recent sales: interesting because these sales are often made to developing countries such as Brazil, China, Egypt and Vietnam; ironic, because when the Internet debuted, many critics proclaimed it to be the end of print publishing.

Clothing, accessories and shoes; videos, DVDs and games; and airline tickets, rounded up the list of most popular e-commerce segments.

Retention isn't just a hot issue for adult paysite operators and tangible goods merchants, with 60 percent of consumers preferring to be repeat customers of websites that they buy from regularly, rather than trying a new vendor.

Of course, this figure could also be interpreted to indicate that 40 percent of customers have been unsatisfied with a particular vendor and are seeking an alternative source for the products or services they desire.

"This shows the importance of capturing new online shoppers as they make their first purchases," Burmaster said. "If e-tailers can grab them with a positive shopping experience, they'll likely gain their loyalty and their money."

Merchants looking for more clues as to how best to serve their markets will note that after consumers considered vendors they have previously done business with, general surfing (following links) was the next most popular way of finding products or services, followed by search engines and finally special offers.

While the online adult entertainment industry has its share of challenges, it's clear that more people are looking to satisfy their basic needs online and are willing to pay to do so. Getting consumers to send their discretionary entertainment dollars our way is still going to be the tricky part, however.

For more than a few years now, I’ve informally measured the pulse of the industry by the various things that I’ve seen at adult industry tradeshows – and I don’t mean the latest in affiliate programs, tools or technologies – but by the shenanigans that have often typified these gatherings.

From furniture being tossed out of windows, to ‘overexposed’ talent, and even blatant, public sexual acts on the show floor (to which I myself must plead guilty), the industry has frequently presented a less-than-mature face when its operators are gathered together.

As the business has evolved, however, many of those responsible for the most outrageous antics have passed by the wayside; victims of the inability to compete and thus afford to attend these events – their presence replaced by an increasing number of ‘suits’ vying for their share of the multi-billion dollar porn pie.

In a way, it’s a bit sad watching our industry mature; its youthful exuberance superseded by the necessities of business and the masses of bean counters swelling its ranks.

It’s come to the point now where it’s my wife that tends to do the most outrageous things: a case in point being her skinny dipping at the XBIZ Summer Forum reception party two years ago, as she exclaimed “You’ve all gotten too boring and someone is going to get naked here, damn it!”

I love that girl.

But this year, at the recently concluded XBIZ Hollywood Conference, it became clear just how grown up we all have become, as once again, my lovely wife Dawn did the most outrageous thing I saw at the show: she picked a ripe kumquat off of one of the trees that circled the pool at the Roosevelt Hotel.

As we walked away, feeling naughty and admiring our prize, one of the hotel’s security guards gave us a scowling “don’t pick the fruit” glance.

I straightened my suit, took my naughty wife by the arm, and we strolled away; glad that some kind of monkey business still makes its way into these events to brighten things up…

I normally don’t pay too much attention to the inner-workings of newspapers, but I received an email today that touched upon an area that I am interested in: the politics of Internet filtering in the home, school and workplace.

Ostensibly an internal memo to LA Times employees from Sam Zell, the newspaper’s new owner, the email, titled “Censorship, the First Amendment and the Fourth Estate” discussed Zell’s views on filtering in computers used in the newsroom:

“I learned on the first leg of our tour of Tribune's business units that some of them were filtering Internet content. I do not see how a member of the Fourth Estate, dedicated to protecting the First Amendment, can censor what its own employees and partners can see. I have instructed that all content filters be removed. You are now exposed to the dangers of You Tube and Facebook. Please use your best judgment. Let's focus on what is important, and go for greatness.”

While I personally support the intelligent use of filtering, I found Zell’s statement to be a powerful message in favor of personal responsibility within the workplace and I wanted to share it with you.

It also serves as an illustration of the struggle that many companies face while developing practical policies that meet their specific needs – and how the question of Internet content filtering isn’t yet over for corporate America.

Doubtless the move will make newsgathering much easier; but it will do so at the cost of a little productivity – and perhaps put a few extra dollars in webmaster’s pockets as well.

I just read an editorial analysis by AVN’s Mark Kernes that claimed there was a Supreme Court ruling that upheld Indiana’s demand that voters prove who they are by means of showing a state-issued driver’s license – and I’m compelled to comment on his observations.

While I won’t go into nearly the same depth of analysis that Kernes did as he bemoaned the burden that having an ID will impose on the lower orders, and thus cost the democrats the upcoming election, I really must ask what has become of common sense in America?

Kernes piece cites statistics that indicate that poor people, who tend to be democrats, don’t have driver’s licenses or other forms of ID; to which I have to ask: then how do they get jobs? It’s my understanding that documentation of identity is required for employment – or at least it always has been for me.

Oh wait, the poor don’t have jobs, is that what you’ll reply? Then how do they cash their welfare or social security checks? I always have to show ID when I try to cash a check…

If you can’t bother to acquire one of the most basic requirements of functioning in today’s modern society – a valid, state-issued identification – then what qualifies you to be able to cast an intelligent vote for the leader of the free world?

I’m all for empowering the masses, but there is a societal obligation that accompanies this empowerment – unless you’re in favor of mass voter fraud, which is an historical hallmark of democratic election strategy.

“Vote early and vote often” isn’t a joke, it’s a common practice, and requiring proof of ID is the only way to lessen this problem that eats away at the heart of democracy itself.

But then again, if we required that citizens prove who they are before voting then the party of desperation would lose out on the millions of votes that they hope illegal aliens will be casting in their favor come November.

Business owners, including legitimate purveyors of adult entertainment, realize that the Republican Party stands for lower taxes and smaller, less-intrusive government – but regardless of whom you vote for or the party they represent, you should have to prove your eligibility to do so!

I’ve written a lot lately on the evolution of the online adult entertainment industry; the technologies and market forces impacting it; and the reassessment of business plans in the wake of these factors – a reassessment that for me is ongoing – and sadly, full of second-guessing.

With the New Year upon us, I’m still surveying our digital landscape and want to add two more items for your consideration; both of which are featured on XBIZ today:

The first is an article entitled “The Rising Tide of Technology” which deals with the evolution of the surfer and the means by which he accesses our wares. While I may not agree with all of the author’s conclusions, it’s clear that today’s surfer expects more and demands more from his online entertainment options. I recommend you check out this piece as it provides good food for thought.

The other item of interest is a news piece that I wrote, which discusses how AOL has ended its support for the Netscape Navigator browser.

I was a working webmaster prior to the launch of Netscape Navigator and have seen its growth, trials and tribulations over the years. I’ve used its innovative “blink” tag as a cool new ‘marketing tool’ (many years ago); and have struggled to overcome this browser’s many quirks in my efforts to have seamless cross-browser designs.

I’ve ridiculed the cult that followed it as a symbol of defiance against Bill Gates; and I’ve been awed at the speed at which it rendered one of my early animated gif logos, spinning wildly fast as if it were a hamster on crack – rather than showing the measured beat that every other browser displayed.

I’ve loved the way it looked and hated the burden it imposed on my development cycle.

I cheered when Internet Explorer finally kicked its ass in “the browser wars” – but I’m a little bit sad at its departure from the stage.

What’s really on my mind however is the strong emotions that its development team and corporate evangelists must have faced over the decision to drop this icon. It’s a sign of the merciless evolution of our industry and the market realities that we all face; where no matter how cool or important something may have once been, there really will come a time when it’s “best” to move on – regardless of the regret that move may cause.

Rest in Peace, Navigator – you caused me a lot of problems, but you will be missed…