consuming and creating digital forms

I too have found compelling the notion that the "trusted" system mitigates against media fair use. But I also find interesting the various ways that indie or iconoclastic musicians, videographers, etc., are evading these corporate strictures, and as noted in earlier postings, are even receiving support in Supreme Court decisions. I'm wondering if we could spend a little more time considering these differences. It is not just about consuming music and other media by downloading, but also about creating music, art, other digital formats, in ways which evade conformist pressures from established industries -- ie., the part of Tarleton's dissertation that he tell us he has left out of the book.