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Google Books project to remove European titles (article)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/6151136/Google-Books-project-to-remove-European-titles.html
Comments
Any comments, anyone?
I'm not a supporter of the grab, steal or borrow attitude that seems to be rife at the moment.
But I do agree with KJ.
I would have no problem with say the first chapter (and index if applicable) being free to view- but then you have to buy (whatever version you want). After all we've all at some time had trouble finding a copy of a book that is old and out of print.
I like the 'Look Inside' option some books on Amazon have, and it will often mean I go on to purchase that book.
The expensive part of this delivering 'the wealth of European and world literature' is translation- okay if it was done in your language, but a bit of an issue if you don't speak the language the book was issued in.
Fair enough if the work is out of copyright, but if the EU allowed this google books thing, would that mean that, if I got published, google could scan my book onto their search engine and anyone could just see it on the internet without buying it? Or if I was lucky enough to get a deal with a US publisher, my book would end up on the internet straight away?
*SA*
http://www.googlebooksettlement.com/
If you look in the FAQ section you will find an answer to your query.
*SA*
Somewhere on here there might be the original item.
Around about April/May there was the notice in WN which notified writers who might have an interest.
If I find it, I'll drag it out.