Daily, I continue to refer to physical textbooks (and books) printed anywhere from 2 to 100 years ago. I barely can access digital content I wrote less than 10 years ago due to format rot, vintage software and hardware dependencies, licensing problems, and more. (In other words, nothing the cloud can help with today.)
I kept hoping that enough SF novels, films or stories depicting a bleak future controlled by the wealthy, the shrewd or the lucky would make it into the mainstream to prevent it from happening, but it’s already here. Unless you’re made of disposable income, you’re not going to be able to read that digital textbook you’re leasing (not buying!) next year, let alone in 5 when the reading device no longer functions. And don’t kid yourself; with Pearson supporting SOPA, the intent is clear – information is borrowed, the copy never belonging to you.
When the next Library of Alexandria is burned to the ground, will the used book stores be stripped to the bare walls within days? Or will they even exist?
Update: This recent article, and its comment thread, is also relevant.
Hello,
Please forgive me for what I am about to ask – but I must. The web site with Renee Womble’s poetry — uhm, I .. how do I say this. I spent 5 years in Iraq and with great difficulty have managed to work through some very difficult days then and since.
There were many dark days and some victories – but … I say that to say this. I am writing a sort of personal biography that reflects these moments … and am going to publish it. Ms. Womble’s poems speak so closely to the darkness I went through …. .
Is there any way I might use some aspects of her poems in my writings? I will certainly give her the attributions and references in whatever I write and publish. Is there any way I might gain her permission to do so??
Thank you …
Absolutely – I will do my best to track down Ms. Womble for you, but I know she would be thrilled to be published, even in some small form.
Perhaps a step in the right direction is the BANQ which has subscribed to a large number of journals, databases, ebook services (i.e.: safari) and provides access to all members (free for Quebec resident).
“leased texbooks | An Atypical Life†was in fact
a remarkable blog post. If solely there was far more web blogs just like this excellent one on the the net.
Anyways, many thanks for your personal precious time, Chara