Mike,

If Google gets its way with book publishers, it will include books in 
copyright as well.  The number of books available far surpasses the numbers 
that are available via Project Gutenberg, from which most etext 
out-of-copyright sources spring.  Whether Google does get its way with 
publishers, however, is a knotty question.  But the principle is good: 
because, so far, the books in Googlebooks have not been accessible to us. 
(At least, only some cover page material has been accessible, to my 
knowledge.)  So, Google has found an alliance.  How much that is worth, we 
may see in due course.  There are also questions of US vs. copyrights of 
other jurisdictions  which probably will have to be ironed out in these 
processes.  Thus, we are seeing beginnings of some movement here.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Pietruk" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, November 03, 2008 12:49 AM
Subject: Re: [VICUG-L] FW: [Missouri-l] Fw: [blind-people2] Google 
Settlement with authors,Pubblishers will have positive results for the 
Blind.


Ok.  So the natural question is what kinds of books are we talking about
here.
Are these current titles or works out of copyright meaning that they are
old and of little interest to most readers?
If the former, this is significant; if the latter, it may be imporatnt
from a legal perspective but meaningless for 99% of those who read books
on a regular basis?








When you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans
. -- Old Yiddish Proverb


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