[Web4lib] Interesting article on Google Book Search

Leo Robert Klein leo at leoklein.com
Thu Dec 1 14:25:25 EST 2005


Amos Lakos wrote:
> Some random quotes from this weird rant disguised as a reasonable think 
> peace:
[snip]

> "So I worry."

Yeah, I worry too -- I worry that other people worry too much about one 
thing when clearly there are so much other things to worry about.  This 
really worries me.

> It seems that somehow, in the very short history of Google, it became 
> the reason for much worry by many in the culture, music, advertising, 
> etc sectors, and somehow the disruptive technologies Google (not alone) 
> embodies, worry this author to no end. The demise of libraries is just 
> one of his worries.
> 
> Much of the article - seems to me - is a list of the many areas that 
> Google adds to Siva's long list of worries. Many of the relationships 
> and conclusions are quite weak. He seems to imply that if Google would 
> not do what it is doing, libraries for sure will and with assured 
> attention to social equity, privacy, and other good things.

I didn't go into his Copyright argument which is where he devoted the 
greatest about of worry -- I mean, argument.  To make a long story 
short, it argues that what Google is doing by copying a work and then 
making snippets available on the Web will set up the mother of all 
copyright battles and that the good side will loose, dragging us all down.

What a wonderful scenario!  Google shouldn't do this because it'll bring 
down a lawsuit that'll screw things up for the rest of us -- the rest of 
us apparently having more legitimate claims to fair use than Google.

That's the thinking.  What can I say?

LEO

-- -------------
Leo Robert Klein
www.leoklein.com


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