NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] Roundup of arguments at today's Google Books Settlement Hearing
http://bit.ly/aXCcMl (Boston Globe) As I've said before, one of my pleasures many years ago when I wasn't down in the ARPANET basement at UCLA was to wander through the massive (and not so massive) campus libraries pulling books at random to peruse. I remember repeatedly having the feeling that some of those books hadn't been touched in decades. Orphan works that are unavailable to the public are like invisible ghosts, their authors' work rotting away into the ether. While I wouldn't argue that there aren't ways that the current Settlement could perhaps be improved, on balance I support it -- no agreement of this kind will ever be perfect. The ultimate irony would be if continuing litigation on this score results in the very books that are primarily at issue being trapped in useless obscurity for many years to come. --Lauren-- NNSquad Moderator