How can Google do this? and get away with it?

[Gerry]

I was looking for a particular textbook, and it had to be the most current edition due to annual updates.

It is quite expensive with a retail of about $135.

I was doing a search on google to find the best price, etc.

I was shocked to see that Google Books had this new edition, the entire edition, digitized and online.

http://books.google.com/

How is it that google can take a textbook or any book and scan the entire contents and make it available to the public for no charge?

I understand about creative commons, etc, etc, ... but these books, the material, the images are highly copyrighted.

And now, do I feel guilty about viewing it online rather than pay for the book?

[Commerce]

I suppose you might check the local library to see if they have a copy or are willing to get a copy for you.

As to Google... How do they do it? Volume!

In an ideal world, ethics should be common and intrinsic to all. I suppose, in this world, ethics are subjective... Your mileage may vary, please see your local attorney for details. Offer good until they get caught or are found as not too big to fail! ;-)

-Commerce

[ksinclair]

Their motto is to do no harm. So what you described certainly
does no harm - to their bottom line.

[Gerry]

I actually ended up ordering a copy for myself, from Alibris if I am not mistaken.

I figured I will need it handy to study for exams.

Plus, who in the hell wants to read 391 pages of something online???

[Castion]

Usually its not the ENTIRE text book.. You will probably notice some pages missing..

Besides all is done with the authors permission.

[fab]

I don't think this is politics, but if the book and/or it's contents are copyrighted, and they have not obtained permission, then it sure sounds like a violation to me. BTW, there are some online book stores, where books and articles can be purchased, either individually or for a subscription fee, which means the provider has purchased rights to do this. don't know about Google though.

As far as reading online, try printing, it's definitely going to save you money, if you don't mind reading an unbound book.

[Gerry]

I don't think this is politics,

Very little choices to post something like this on the forum, but the subforum is Politics/Controversial.

Privacy Group Asks to Join Google Book Lawsuit As Deadline Approaches

Starting in 2002, Google Book Search began scanning millions of books from university libraries and letting users search and read portions of the books. That leadsome rights holders to sue the search and advertising giant in 2005 to get a portion of the profits from the ads that accompany the results.

FULL ARTICLE FROM WIRED

[Luc]

Usually its not the ENTIRE text book.. You will probably notice some pages missing..

Besides all is done with the authors permission.

Actually, it was done without the authors permission.

Google was trying to reach a $125,000,000 settlement with the authors. Not sure how it turned out.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10...?tag=mncol;txt

[Gerry]

Actually, it was done without the authors permission.

Google was trying to reach a $125,000,000 settlement with the authors. Not sure how it turned out.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10...?tag=mncol;txt

Exactly. From what I read in the Wired and other articles since I found that book is Google took it upon themselves to digitize every work published.

Google believes it is doing a public service.

The Fight over the Google of All Libraries: A Wired.com FAQ

[Doc]

Not all the pages of the book would have been available online , even if they were ... well everyone knows how to get it.

About google -- they have been digitizing books on a massive scale ( obtained from libs & all ) , so maybe the book might have slipped in. Also some time back , after that lawsuit news , they took out adverts in all natinal papers here in India literally saying ' if you feel your work has been infringed upon , please submit in writing before this..this date & all , else you loose the right to file a court case ' Well not all authors are going to check up & report and google gets away without paying royalty.

Although free info. is a good initiative by google , but it affects authors too.

[SIKHboy]

Thats right, I would get a book from google, and print 391 pages, @ .10 cents each, would still cost me 39 usd, and I would have the book handy rather than paying 135 usd.

Again, I always search for books if there are online versions avaliable, usually 80 Percent of the time I found them.

[Gerry]

Thats right, I would get a book from google, and print 391 pages, @ .10 cents each, would still cost me 39 usd, and I would have the book handy rather than paying 135 usd.

Again, I always search for books if there are online versions avaliable, usually 80 Percent of the time I found them.

Good cost analysis!

Plus, with a printer like mine that does both sides, I could then take it to Staples and pay $3.99 to get it bound in one of those big plastic spiral thingys.

But, I did find a place to order it for about 59 bucks.

[katherine]

Thanks to google yesterday I had the opportunity to browse a book written by my late father 35 years ago - I just never got to see the book and it's not the type of literature you would find on every bookshelf.
But I agree the scheme is problematic. It's no different than illegal file sharing but on a massive scale

[fab]

Actually, it was done without the authors permission.

Sounds absolutely idiotic for a company like Google, which has their own legal department and plenty of cash for getting sued. Maybe they calculated profits against potential legal costs.

[Gerry]

Apparently I am a little late in discovering the Google project.

Just found this on Wired:

Google Books’ Plan Hits Privacy Snag

Excerpt

The groups joined a growing chorus opposed to Google’s pending plan. The bulk of the opposition, however, stems largely from copyright concerns – not privacy. The privacy groups contend Google likely could maintain a so-called “digital dossier” (.pdf) about individuals’ reading habits and interests.

[Banned: theinvestor]

I remember when i was in university people would go to the photocopier and copy the pages out of the book. All books were available in the library so you were able to do this. It was a lot cheaper than buying the actual book.

For me though...this was time consuming and i had better things to do with my time...

[Poohnix]

I heard they even talked about this on Swedish radio today - Authors and Publishers apparently are preparing legal action against Google.

[Gerry]

I heard they even talked about this on Swedish radio today - Authors and Publishers apparently are preparing legal action against Google.

I absolutely agree with their legal action.

Otherwise, Google is saying they do not recognize copyright and trademark laws.

It appears from what I am reading, Google is supposed to have permission,

Writers and publishers sued Mountain View, California-based Google in 2005, claiming the search engine was undertaking massive copyright infringement by digitizing the world’s books. Under a settlement in New York federal court last year, publishers and writers won the final say if their works can become part of Google’s move to digitize millions of books – to be read and sold online.


With tens of thousands of books already scanned, did google go back and pay restitution to those unaware that their works had been copied???

[Area52]

Another privacy issue. Publishing a photo of your home on Google maps for all the world to see, without permission.