[bksvol-discuss] Re: Bookshare's Purpose in Your Eyes
- From: "Donna Goodin" <goodindo@xxxxxxx>
- To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2004 14:57:48 -0400
Hi Jill,
Sorry, the number 10,000 was purely random. *smile*
Take care,
Donna
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jill O'Connell" <jillocon@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2004 2:18 PM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Bookshare's Purpose in Your Eyes
> I'm curious to know if you just pulled 10,000 out of thin air in talking
> about the number of people scanning a particular book. I read recently
that
> there are about 2800 Web Braille users; does anyone know how many people
> have subscribed to Bookshare. From the groups I am in, I have the
impression
> that the majority of blind people do not have computers so there is a
large
> untapped audience out there. This basically means that the majority of
blind
> people don't even have access to Bookshare, so, of course, it isn't fair
> that we can save all of these books at no cost; however, if most readers
are
> like me, I save very, very few after reading them. Perhaps a system could
be
> devised for having me pay for the ones I do keep, but offhand I can't
> imagine how it would work. I think we are intoxicated with the ability to
> have hundreds of books in our files which was never possible before, but
how
> many books can one actually read in a month? If I could make my wishes
come
> true, I would wish that all blind people could have and use computers
> successfully to take advantage of electronic books instead of the
relatively
> few who now can. . Jill
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Donna Goodin" <goodindo@xxxxxxx>
> To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2004 9:24 AM
> Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Bookshare's Purpose in Your Eyes
>
>
> > Hi Dave,
> >
> > First, let me just say that my side in our argument has been strongly
> > proBookshare, or I wouldn't be here. I believe fervently in equal
access,
> > and I also believe that it's absurd for ten thousand blind people to all
> > have to sit and scan the same Harry potter novel, which is a big reason
I
> > think that Bookshare is so important. That said:
> >
> > 1. If you lost books because of your own failure to back up your hard
> disk,
> > well that's your fault. *smile* You technically *could* still have those
> > books.
> >
> > 2. It is true that sighted people can use the public library, but as I
> have
> > already pointed out, you only get the book for a week or so. That's
very
> > different from getting to download something and keep it for the rest of
> > your life. So, according to your theory we should also only get to keep
> > Bookshare books for a couple of weeks.
> >
> > 3. I, too, purchase many of the books I scan. I have, however, and I
> know
> > others have as well, scanned and submitted books we have borrowed from a
> > library. Yes, the library *did purchase the book, but not with the
intent
> > that thousands of people would be able to download copies of it for
free.
> >
> > 4. As to the cost of Bookshare, I scanned some books before joining, so
> my
> > original cost was defrayed. By the time I renewed this past year, I had
> > enough submission credits to cover my subscription, and will probably
have
> > for next year as well. So, though I have payed for some of the books I
> > submitted, I have not had to pay directly for my Bookshare membership.
> >
> > 5. Even if you choose to pay for you Bookshare membership, that money
> goes
> > to Bookshare. Neither the author nor the publisher get any of it. That
> > starts to look pretty significant if someone is downloading 100 books a
> > month.
> >
> > getting out the hornet spray (smile)
> > Donna
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: <talmage@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2004 11:59 AM
> > Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Bookshare's Purpose in Your Eyes
> >
> >
> > >
> > > Well, playing the role of one of the hornets, considering the fact
that
> > the
> > > right to equal access is the law of the land, I would have to ask your
> > > husband the following.
> > > Is he supporting, or recommending, that as a nation we take up the
> > > challenge of 'Fahrenheit 451?'What I mean by this, is if people should
> not
> > > be provided with free access to books, we have a great many public
> > > libraries we need to start shutting down. When my son gets a book
from
> > the
> > > school library, he is reading a book that he didn't pay for, and more
> than
> > > one other person has already read it, or will read it. So considering
> > your
> > > point, that he is getting free access to a book, we certainly need to
> shut
> > > down that school library. Ah you say, but someone has purchased that
> > book,
> > > and he is reading the hard copy edition. Well, with the exception of
> > books
> > > provided by the publishers, the books on Bookshare were all purchased
by
> > > someone, and we aren't hacking into the publisher's database and
> grabbing
> > > these files. In recent months, I have probably purchased at least 8
> books
> > > myself that I probably wouldn't have bought if not for becoming aware
of
> > an
> > > author or series on Bookshare. But you say, once you download a book
> you
> > > can have it forever. Well, since my recent computer crash of a few
> months
> > > ago, and being particularly remiss in my backup regime, I would have
to
> > > question the concept of forever. The nice thing however, is that
those
> 8
> > > or so books that I purchased are still on my bookshelf, or maybe in my
> > > son's room. Perhaps I should go get them out of there, as he didn't
buy
> > > them, and I guess therefore he shouldn't be reading them. Regarding
> those
> > > books, 3 or 4 I can go and get from Bookshare so I won't have to scan
> them
> > > again, and the others I have yet to scan.
> > > While I don't want to belabor the point, and yes I realize that my
> > > arguments were extreme and silly, I don't feel that they are any more
> > > ridiculous than someone asking the question, 'do blind people have the
> > > right to free books?'Please also remind your husband, that Bookshare
has
> a
> > > $50 a year subscription fee, just as many public libraries do.
> > >
> > > Dave
> > >
> > > At 10:00 AM 6/9/2004, you wrote:
> > > >Hi all,
> > > >
> > > > Well, I maybe stepping in a hornet's nest here, but here goes ...
> > > >
> > > > On an introductory note, my husband is part of a panel that is
> > presenting
> > > >a session at the upcoming AHEAD conference next month dealing with
> blind
> > > >access and copyright law. As you can imagine, there's been lots of
hot
> > > >debate around our dinner table on this topic lately. Though we're
> still
> > a
> > > >ways away from a cease fire, *grin* he does raise one point which I
> think
> > is
> > > >an extremely valid one: are blind people entitled to free books?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
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