[Web4lib] Christian Science Monitor editorial about Google Books project

[Lars Aronsson]

On August 12, Chris Strauber wrote:

> For consideration: In what way is the proposed Google Books deal 
> different from the monopoly we've given to Proquest on 
> dissertations and theses? How about Early English Books Online? 
> EEBO is actually a better example, in that all the contents are 
> long, long out of copyright by definition.

Maybe there is no difference, and that is the disappointment.  
The Internet has been a monopoly-breaker with much wider choice of 
ISPs and Internet-based services now, than we ever had under the 
telephone monopoly that preceded the Internet (both in the U.S. 
and most European countries).  Telcos were deregulated, the Berlin 
Wall came down, we all got on the Internet, and now suddenly the 
old 1960s-style monopolies return.  When Neil Armstrong set foot 
on the moon, nobody had the idea to question NASA's monopoly to 
run that show (well, except the Russians maybe).  The difference 
is that now we do have the idea to question Google's monopoly (and 
there is no Russian alternative on the horizon).


-- 
  Lars Aronsson (lars at aronsson.se)
  Aronsson Datateknik - http://aronsson.se