[bksvol-discuss] Re: If text is too good

OK gentle folks,  please relax.  We are all working for the common good. 
We are all conscious OF quality.  We all want to give the best possible 
product to our readers.  And 99.9% of submissions are bonified original 
scan performed by registered bookshare volunteers under complete legal 
conditions.

On the other hand,  we should be comfortable raising recurring concerns 
about quality as well as about the legality of submissions.  These 
concerns should be received and read with the same equanimity with which 
they were created.  I for one have recently submitted books that were 
almost perfect.  I would not be at all surprised if a volunteer,  not used 
to the new level of quality seen in so many recent submissions, questioned 
the origin of my submissions. I would be delighted to clarify any 
misunderstanding.  Similarly,  if the book in question were the   fruit of 
someone else's labour,  I would not feel threatened by association.  I 
invite all concerned to relax.


But,  oh gentle folks,  I should like to take the opportunity to point 
your attention to the fact that qualified submissions DO NOT amount to the 
totality of the collection.  I have in fact seen submissions which clearly 
came from the BAEN repository,  while not containing the magic word eText. 
 I have seen a few postings which  came likely from commercial etext 
facilities,  and others that were probable repostings of books originally 
submitted to a samizdatian repository north of the 49th parallel. 
Similarly,  I have seen  Bookshare originals appearing on other 
repositories,  sometimes with the Bookshare riot act left intact at the 
top of the file.

The bottom line gentle folks is. . . let us be considerate of one another, 
but also be vigilant.  Let us take pride in our work, but let us remember 
there is a subtle difference between pride and becoming hypersensitive.

Thank you for listening.

Guido


Guido D. Corona
IBM Accessibility Center,  Austin Tx.
IBM Research,
Phone:  (512) 838-9735
Email: guidoc@xxxxxxxxxxx

Visit my weekly Accessibility WebLog at:
http://www-3.ibm.com/able/weblog/corona_weblog.html





Nolan Crabb <aa3go@xxxxxxxxxxx> 
Sent by: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
09/03/2004 03:50 PM
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[bksvol-discuss] Re: If text is too good







At 10:58 AM 9/3/2004, you wrote:
>but the idea that you have is good
>I think, to put your suspition of it in the comments field. Wish I had
>thought of doing that myself.


Well, folks, this is about the most bizarre list I've ever been on.  I've 
read pensively and sometimes even with real concern, messages here wherein 

many almost shrilly cry for higher quality.  Then, when that quality is 
achieved, others express suspicion that something is somehow illegal about 

the submission.

In the case of Deborah Stein's submission, her tremendous ability as a 
rather well-known author, assuming this is indeed the Deborah Stein from 
the Chicago area, makes her a logical candidate for submitting a book 
that's nearly perfect.  After all, an author whose books have been 
published by major publishing houses is going to understand the value of 
well edited work.

I've no idea who did I Robot, but people, let's try celebrating the 
quality 
rather than raising questions about the legality of the submission.  And 
better yet, let's be professional enough to contact the submitter directly 

with concerns where possible rather than engaging in destructive 
speculation on the list.

Nolan Crabb

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