Mark Asher
04-07-2009, 11:41 PM
I read a couple of articles discussing the recent settlement between Google and authors and publishers who sued Google over breach of copyright over Google digitizing copyrighted materials. It's all very interesting to me. Here are the two differing viewpoints offered, from academic librarians both interested in the democratizing of ideas, with one worried about Google being the only source and the other disagreeing:
From Harvard, worried about Google: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/22281
From the University of Michigan, an opposing viewpoint: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/22496
Notable quote, from the Harvard dude, discussing the Age of Enlightment in the 18th century:
"I should add that the Republic of Letters was democratic only in principle. In practice, it was dominated by the wellborn and the rich. Far from being able to live from their pens, most writers had to court patrons, solicit sinecures, lobby for appointments to state-controlled journals, dodge censors, and wangle their way into salons and academies, where reputations were made. While suffering indignities at the hands of their social superiors, they turned on one another. The quarrel between Voltaire and Rousseau illustrates their temper. After reading Rousseau's Discourse on the Origins of Inequality in 1755, Voltaire wrote to him, "I have received, Monsieur, your new book against the human race.... It makes one desire to go down on all fours." Five years later, Rousseau wrote to Voltaire. "Monsieur,...I hate you."
Ha ha. Eighteenth century flamewar!
From Harvard, worried about Google: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/22281
From the University of Michigan, an opposing viewpoint: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/22496
Notable quote, from the Harvard dude, discussing the Age of Enlightment in the 18th century:
"I should add that the Republic of Letters was democratic only in principle. In practice, it was dominated by the wellborn and the rich. Far from being able to live from their pens, most writers had to court patrons, solicit sinecures, lobby for appointments to state-controlled journals, dodge censors, and wangle their way into salons and academies, where reputations were made. While suffering indignities at the hands of their social superiors, they turned on one another. The quarrel between Voltaire and Rousseau illustrates their temper. After reading Rousseau's Discourse on the Origins of Inequality in 1755, Voltaire wrote to him, "I have received, Monsieur, your new book against the human race.... It makes one desire to go down on all fours." Five years later, Rousseau wrote to Voltaire. "Monsieur,...I hate you."
Ha ha. Eighteenth century flamewar!