I think that the point of the Preface is to tell all the critics out there to just back the fuck off. It seems so defensive. He even starts it out by confronting a critic from his last book written like six years ago. THough this isn't a bad thing at all. Sometimes a good defense is like a good defense. I think the main character is, of course Lawrence Lessig. It is written from his perspective in the first person narrative style. The sub characters would be the old critic, David Pogue, and the inspirational old man, Richard Stallman. Like I said, the plot is "Get off my back." The arguments brought up are old ones issued by the critic but defended by the inspirational old man. One such argument is weather or not his book is an origional text or just a "derivative." If a critic were to say this, Lawrence has already prepared a counter argument. Something with lawyers. Another argument is weather or not his last book was valid. Again, this is a battle with the critic who is quickly becoming an adversary. The counter-argument is that maybe his last book didn't apply when it was written, but it certainly does now. I can't wait to read the rest of this book, that's for sure.