How exactly does project Gutenberg work? Can someone write me off list and explain the fundamentals to me?
Julia----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob" <rwiley@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 3:26 AM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: book requests
Cindy, the project Gutenberg books are, for the most part, text files.The situation gets rather complicated, at least it is complicated to simple-minded me. I am making a lot of assumptions in the following paragraph, and anyone who has different ideas or information, please weigh in.Bookshare converts its books into daisy and Braille formats, not because these are the only formats a blind person can read, but because they are formats that the general sighted community can't read. This is because of the requirement in the copyright law that specifies that a book must be in a specialized format, and Braille and Daisy meet this requirement, whereas other formats such as .txt and .rtf files do not.Project Gutenberg takes a different approach. Their books are books that have no copyright, and, therefore, do not need to meet the "specialized format" regulation.Actually, most blind people convert books from bookshare into a useable format, either with a software product such as Kurzweil and openbook, or (heaven forbid) the VictorSoftprogram bookshare provides, or people read the books directly using a device or computer with a Braille display. The same conversions can easily be made on a .txt file.The bottom line is that people who can read bookshare books can also read books from Gutenberg.Now, aren't you sorry you asked? Next time ask me what time it is, and I'll probably tell you how to build a watch, <smile>.Bob----- Original Message ----- From: "Grandma Cindy" <popularplace@xxxxxxxxx>To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 10:44 PM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: book requestsBob, I'm curious. People keep mentioning Project Gutenberg here as a source for books and so we shouldn't duplicate their efforts. Can they be downloaded in Braille or Daisy, or is it easy to convert them to those formats once they're downloaded? G.Cindy --- Bob <rwiley@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:I agree with your general sentaments Jill, but not in this instance. If this book is rated fair then we should make an effort to improve bookshare's service. Maybe it should be flagged as a bso book. If nls has the book in Braille, then I agree there is no need for us to re-invent the wheel. However, if the book is only available in recorded format, then I think some of our patrons who might be deaf/blind could get the benefit of our reproducing the book. I especially disagree with scanning and validating books that are in the public domain--unless they aren't available elsewhere. Gutenberg has done an excellent job of making uncopyrighted books available, so why should we waste our time and effort doing the same thing. Now, I'll crawl back into my cave and take off my Golem mask. Bob----- Original Message ----- From: "Jill O'Connell" <jillocon@xxxxxxxxxx>To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 12:26 PM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] book requests >I wish there were some way to respond to the people requesting books. I am >particularly referring to the request for Hawaii by James Michener. This >book is already available on Bookshare although it is rated good. It is >also available from NLS on casette and a braille edition is in process. I >know some of the rest of you on this list are willing to make copies for >Bookshare when books are available through NLS in both braille and recorded >form but I am not. After all, it isn't as though we have to check them out >so others can't get them. Jill > To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to > bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list > of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line. > > > >> -- > No virus found in this incoming message.> Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: > 269.16.0/1135 - Release Date: 11/16/2007 10:58 PM > > To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxput the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.-- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition.Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.16.0/1135 - Release Date: 11/16/2007 10:58 PMTo unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxput the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.
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