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from WinCustomize Forums
Why is it that outside of Microsoft with Vista, no one aside from Google seems to be doing much that's news-worthy?  Oh well, anyway on to the latest Google tidbit...

Starting today, Google intends to let users download and print public domain books it has collected as part of its book-scanning project that has aroused so much anger from the publishing and academic world.  The Google Book Search will allow users to search for specific lines in titles such as Dante's Inferno, grab the entire work, download it to their PC and print it if they so choose. 

Check out the new Google Books service.

4,604 views 9 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I thought that it would be a typed copy of the books, but NO, they are just "pictures" of the book pages?

what do you all think about that? Is it better that way?
The Political Machine 2024
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Is it better that way?


http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0380809060&id=2UEpWcJVdOQC&pg=PA1&lpg=PA1&dq=Zelazny&sig=DzyPFqgq4wqr7SZkZZRrsc4zAvM

Not for that one..

I couldn't find anything that was 'public domain' - all of the 'preview' books were in images, and i suppose thats so you can't copy them easily.. selecting text, or right clicking. Yet the individual works were highlighted from a search. I wonder if a completely open book is selectable text.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Anything that gets people to read more books is okay by me and it seems to be more a Classic Literature approach so that the people who would be losing money due to this are dead (Shakespeare, Dante, et cetera). However, if the author is still alive they need to get permission... obviously.

People reading = GOOD

Stopping people from reading = BAD

Heh.

- X
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Google Book Search will allow users to search for specific lines in titles

That feature alone would infuriate any English professor I've had.

-Mike
[Stardock Support]

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The Google Book Search will allow users to search for specific lines in titles such as Dante's Inferno, grab the entire work, download it to their PC and print it if they so choose.


If I wanted to read Dante's Inferno (which I don't), I'd go to the bloody shop and buy it.

This is just another example of Google trampling all over others peoples toes and getting away with it. Not only will this book thing be infuriating publishers and the like, Shakespeare and the like'll be turning in their graves at the intrusion/sacrilege being done to their works.

BTW, if I ever say a kind/nice word about Google, somebody, please, effin' well shoot me
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
This is just another example of Google trampling all over others peoples toes and getting away with it. Not only will this book thing be infuriating publishers and the like, Shakespeare and the like'll be turning in their graves at the intrusion/sacrilege being done to their works.


this is plain nonsense. it´s about public domain works. believe it or not, there is no copyright on Shakespeares work since centuries.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Actually Shakespeare has never been copyrighted he was alive long before copyrighting. And what google is doing is making book more quickly accessible so people who spend a lot of time online might read one or two of them. Publishers are P***ed off because their not getting paid, if they were being paid they'd be all for it.

Too many people speak out of anger. This Google thing may offend some people but to others it's a good thing, just think for a minute about the good things Google Book Search can do, and stop thinking about the publishers money.