 Google Opens Doors To Virtual Library |
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 Nov 3 2005, 02:09 PM
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 Bleepin' Conundrum  Group: Global Moderator Posts: 9,325 Joined: 26-April 04 From: 65 miles due East of the "Logic Free Zone", in Md, USA Member No.: 235  |
 SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Farewell to the card catalog.Google Inc. marked an important step in the history of recorded information Thursday by opening up the first virtual library on the Web. Google said it's making available the first large collection of public books via Google Print. The books range from U.S. Civil War history texts to government documents. The digitized books are not subject to copyright laws because they were never bound by these laws or copyright law has expired. All books published prior to 1923 are considered to be in the public domain. By Bambi Francisco, MarketWatch Last Update: 12:02 PM ET Nov. 3, 2005 -------------------- |
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Nov 3 2005, 03:33 PM
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 Member Group: Members Posts: 66 Joined: 23-October 05 Member No.: 38,379 |
That is awesome... I am glad that google was the first to do this, since I am a big fan of everything google (GMAIL, GTALK, G-Everything!!).
I cannot find the article (looked for 1/2 hour).. but i swear that yahoo tried to do this first.. They did not seem to succed since google now has it and I cannot find ANYTHING on Yahoo's effort. If anyone can update me on the progress of Yahoo's digital library, I would like to know.. GOOOO GOOGLE!! |
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Nov 3 2005, 10:31 PM
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 Forum Addict Group: Global Moderator Posts: 20,575 Joined: 11-April 04 From: Chicago, Il. Member No.: 113 |
As I remember, Yahoo has joined a rival consortium that proposes to do much the same thing, but it is still in the planning stages. Google owes a great debt to Project Gutenburg, which has provided the texts of over 10,000 important novels, histories, and philosphies written before 1920. While many books and translations are complete, since they are in public domain, more recent texts are incomplete
Even given this extremely important caveat, having major extracts of modern books is certainly a boon to students and internet researchers. I would venture to say, however, that the legal battle that is bound to begin shortly, will be interesting. Our Congress (bless their little heads) will no doubt have to reconsider both the copywrite law, and the fair use provisions in due time. Regards, John This post has been edited by jgweed: Nov 3 2005, 10:36 PM -------------------- Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one should be silent.
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Nov 3 2005, 11:01 PM
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 I can see what you post! Group: Members Posts: 6,374 Joined: 14-February 05 Member No.: 12,053 |
If yahoo were to do this, they would charge you for the "advance features." For almost every service they provide they offer a payment for "certain features."
But I'm glad to see Google too be creating new services. 
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 Nov 4 2005, 12:30 PM
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Forum Regular Group: Members Posts: 277 Joined: 25-October 05 Member No.: 38,615 |
QUOTE(Rogue4Twenty @ Nov 3 2005, 12:33 PM)  That is awesome... I am glad that google was the first to do this, since I am a big fan of everything google (GMAIL, GTALK, G-Everything!!). I cannot find the article (looked for 1/2 hour).. but i swear that yahoo tried to do this first.. They did not seem to succed since google now has it and I cannot find ANYTHING on Yahoo's effort. Ibiblio.org has been at this since I can remember. There are a couple of other open-source-book sites that offer out-of-copyright books. I have been using various such websites since at least 2000. Not exactly a new idea, and google is definitely not the first to come up with it. If you are impatient to start downloading out-of-print books, don't wait for google or yahoo, check out Ibiblio.org. Or, do a google search for project Gutenberg! 
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Nov 4 2005, 12:37 PM
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Forum Regular Group: Members Posts: 277 Joined: 25-October 05 Member No.: 38,615 |
QUOTE(jgweed @ Nov 3 2005, 07:31 PM) Google owes a great debt to Project Gutenburg, which has provided the texts of over 10,000 important novels, histories, and philosphies written before 1920. I would venture to say, however, that the legal battle that is bound to begin shortly, will be interesting. Our Congress (bless their little heads) will no doubt have to reconsider both the copywrite law, and the fair use provisions in due time. Regards, John Looks like you beat me to the punch! I have been filling my hard drives with Project Gutenberg's books for several years now. There is simply no other place to get some out-of-print books! I see no reason for a legal battle, since it looks like the same thing as ibilio.org, which has been in operation for quite some time now. I imagine there are several bored, underemployed attorneys out there who disagree with me. |
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