electronic storage

From: Jackie Mackay <mackay[_at_]cognito.demon.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 93 00:39:22 GMT


>> What do those of you out there think?

>After much information gathering on electronic reserves problems and
>prospects, I think it is naive to assume that a consortium of CCC,
>publishers and libraries could effectively deal with the issues
>involved.

I'm for being naive then. It sounds odd to me that any form of responsible discussion and exploration could do anything but good. Of course there is always the possibility that a tower of Babel might rise - not by email surely :-)

>(including all considerations of digitizing, storing, networking,
>and multiple simultaneous display, all of which are highly
>desirable) in the appropriate time frame would be quite impossible.

If that's quite impossible then the time frame stretches indefinitely - which is not so desirable.

>The battle lines remain drawn as they have always been, with
>publishers and intermediary profiteers on the one side and
>libraries, information, technology and users on the other side.

As long as you continue to see it as a battle (and I notice you have left the originators out of the scenario:-) I think that the time frame is approaching infinite. Has the idea of collaboration, communication, co-operation been forgotten altogether?  

>The copyright law that is supposed to regulate the interaction of
>these interests is not adaptable to electronic technologies as it is
>currently written. Because of this fact, electronic reserves
>remains an elusive vision for the time being-

Since when has an existing law or set of laws precluded Mankind from having and realising visions?

>Publishers, scholars, libraries,information users and
>government should be involved in a dialogue about how this situation
>can be remedied, and the sooner the better..

I agree - provided that the originators and the profiteers (could you be a little more specific about what constitutes a profiteer?...do we not all profit from communication of knowledge?) can join in the discussions..

Jackie Mackay



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mackay[_at_]cognito.demon.co.uk
Received on Mon Sep 13 1993 - 23:45:25 GMT

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