[WEB4LIB] RE: Article - "Post-Tasini: Pity the Librarians"

[Dan Lester]

Friday, June 29, 2001, 3:47:48 PM, you wrote:

rrc> Having gaping holes in the record means the quality of my research goes
rrc> down.  For most projects, it is simply too inconvenient to schlep to the
rrc> library and paw through microfilm -- and I work 100 yards from the Library.

I don't want to sound like I'm ever criticizing Rich's research skills
or dedication, but I'd be really surprised if any researcher who
really NEEDED information wouldn't walk to the library, visit another
library, or whatever else is needed.  I still have colleagues who
schlep to the British Museum every few years for their research
projects.  Granted, they're not studying the internet, but long-dead
British authors.  The principle still is relevant, however.

rrc> The dissent in the Supreme Court case said that the predictable result of
rrc> the majority ruling would be holes in databases.   The majority took note of
rrc> this but said they were ruling on their interpretation of the law, not
rrc> impact of the ruling.

So the Supreme Court did their job, just like they should have, like
it or not. That isn't much different than the microsoft decision. The
Circuit Court did the right thing in tossing the case back, no matter
how much the judges may have agreed that MS did bad things. The idiot
trial judge

rrc> The sad thing is that affected freelancers will see little or no money from
rrc> this decision.  As others have noted, new freelancers won't see any money
rrc> from this. I don't even think the National Writers Union will benefit all
rrc> that much.   We just get online archives with holes during the "notch"
rrc> years.  No one wins.

rrc> I wonder how many freelancers will notice that their Nexis searches are now
rrc> poorer?  I wonder if any freelancers will miss being able to find their own
rrc> works -- at least a citation -- on Nexis?





-- 
Dan Lester, Data Wrangler  dan at RiverOfData.com
3577 East Pecan, Boise, Idaho  83716-7115 USA
www.riverofdata.com  www.gailndan.com  Stop Global Whining!