Quoting Bernhard Eversberg <ev_at_BIBLIO.TU-BS.DE>:
>
> It was openly said that DDB is also intended as a "German answer to
> Google Booksearch", to counter the hazard of them becoming a monopoly.
> Contrary to GBS practice, DDB will ask rightsholders first before
> scanning their works, said cabinet minister Neumann. A noble intention
> indeed.
Just a reminder that we don't yet know what features of GBS will be
visible/available outside of the US. The recent change in the
settlement that excludes non-US+3 works[*] does not presumably change
what users outside of the US would have seen. The in-copyright portion
of GBS was intended for US viewers only, since the settlement
agreement is only valid within the political US boundary. Today, users
outside of the US see many fewer works in full view because of
differences in the cut-off date for public domain.
The objections of Germany and France are attributed with the exclusion
of foreign works from the settlement. The effect is that US readers
will not see those works; European readers never would have been able
to.
kc
[*] The settlement now includes only works published in the US, UK,
Canada and Australia, in copyright but not in print.
--
Karen Coyle
kcoyle@kcoyle.net http://kcoyle.net
ph: 1-510-540-7596
m: 1-510-435-8234
skype: kcoylenet
Received on Thu Dec 03 2009 - 10:59:29 EST