Interesting People mailing list archives
IP: -- make up your own mind -- more on Bookshare.org
From: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Wed, 06 Mar 2002 22:53:59 -0500
Please note affiliation: Nancy C. Hanger - nhanger () windhaven com - www.windhaven.com production manager, Baen Books (dist. by Simon & Schuster) ------ Forwarded Message From: NC Hanger <nhanger () windhaven com> Date: Wed, 06 Mar 2002 21:53:08 -0500 To: <farber () cis upenn edu> Subject: Re: IP: Bookshare.org Dave, How interesting that bookshare.org comes up on the IP list now, as many of the author and publishing lists to which I belong are also discussing this enterprise of Benetech's. Many author groups, and publishers, are not sure of the "benefits" of bookshare.org, as - unlike ebook publishing by standard companies - authors are receiving no money at all for bookshare's copies "sold" to their subscribers. In addition, other than providing "proof" of visual or reading disability (no details of which are available from bookshare.org, leading one to assume anyone could write a letter saying they are blind or dyslexic), there are no safeguards in place preventing these simple text files from being posted anywhere at anytime to anyone on the Net. Neither authors nor publishers have been even asked if they wish to participate in the "program." Books are being scanned without permission or even consent due to this hole in the Copyright Act. I'm not sure how I feel about it, myself. While providing text files for voder or computer reading systems for the reading impaired is an admirable idea, using a hole in the Copyright Act that robs authors of needed royalties, while ignoring publishers (who are contacted for blind tape, large print text, etc. versions, and often provide those rights for free or little) is perhaps not the way to achieve it. Best, Nancy ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Nancy C. Hanger - nhanger () windhaven com - www.windhaven.com production manager, Baen Books (dist. by Simon & Schuster) production manager, Seattle Book Company (www.seattlebookcompany.com) director, Windhaven: Editorial & Production Services freelance tech editor & writer member National Writers Union, Internet Press Guild, SFWA ------ End of Forwarded Message For archives see: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
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- IP: -- make up your own mind -- more on Bookshare.org Dave Farber (Mar 06)