E-Commerce Regulation: Necessity, Futility, Disconnect
Existing e-commerce regulations constitute a premature and unnecessary interference in the natural evolution of commercial practices and technologies. I question not just their quality, mainly attributable to the technological ignorance of the regulator, but their very necessity. I observe the practical futility of drafting effective regulatory instruments in areas subject to continuous and unpredictable technological change. I criticize the overly homogenous approach to “everything Internet” (i.e. everything involving the Internet requires new law) as well as the creation of new regulatory spheres and legal categories. Some might claim that it is too early for a critical retrospective of this subject. Despite its relative “youth,” however, the “law of e-commerce” has developed a set of orthodox approaches. It is therefore not too early to present some heterodox views, especially given the largely unsuccessful regulatory activity in the European Union. Not just technologies but also theories about the Internet can become obsolete within a short period of time and should therefore be subject to constant revision.
Adapting the Law to Technological Change: A Comparison of Common Law and Legislation
The technological developments pose challenges for law and government, making it unclear and subject to criticism. It is the interaction between the law and new forms of conduct that generate concern that the law has failed to keep up with technological change and the law may also be considered too slow to control undesirable or harmful technologies and existing laws might become increasingly difficult to enforce.
Integrated two-beam antenna array featuring dual-circular polarization
A concept of an integrated antenna array featuring two independent beams and dual circular polarization has been described. The antenna array consists of two radiating elements which are excited at two orthogonally placed feeding ports with the use of four appropriately connected 3-dB/90° directional couplers. Therefore, such an array generates two symmetrically located beams having right-handed circular polarization (RHCP) and identical two beams having left-handed circular polarization (LHCP). The presented concept has been verified by the design and measurements of an antenna array operating at 2.4 GHz frequency range.