[Blind-international-students] Blind-international-studentsDigest, Vol 4, Issue 3

[David Andrews]

I want and hope the list will be a place where different views can 
and are expressed.  Nevertheless, that doesn't justify promoting a 
potentially illegal activity.  As the person responsible for this and 
other lists, I can not have myself, the nfbnet.org domain, or the NFB 
placed in the position of promoting potentially illegal activities.

People can say what they want -- I think we just need to be a little 
more careful with our wording.

Yes, U.S. book sellers may be primarily interested in money, but that 
doesn't justify breaking the law.

David Andrews, List Owner



At 03:29 PM 10/15/2009, you wrote:
>I also strongly object to the tone of such warnings since the list 
>is suppose to take in to account different points of view and I have 
>to say that most software venders and electronic text distributers 
>based in the United States are indeed commercially motivated and 
>they mostly make a mockery of the needs of the visually challenged. 
>While I am in favor of warning against illegal contents, I express 
>some reservations against the general attitude of toning down 
>peoples views and that's indeed undemocratic.
>
>Vetri.
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Guido Corona" <guidoc at austin.rr.com>
>To: "'Blind International Students Mailing List'" 
><blind-international-students at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2009 3:17 PM
>Subject: Re: [Blind-international-students] 
>Blind-international-studentsDigest, Vol 4, Issue 3
>
>
>>Dave, I recommend that the overseers of this discussion list tred lightly on
>>users, ;lest they resemble the censors of benighted authoritarian regimes
>>uncharacteristic to the democratic system of this land.
>>
>>Specifically,
>>
>>1. A gentle reminder that unrestricted utilization of torrent facilities
>>may, under certain circumstances, violate the copyright acts of a number of
>>nation states may suffice.
>>
>>2.  An equally gentle pointing out that the recent KNFB/NFB eText
>>announcement is curiously vague and woefully devoid of usable content would
>>certainly be appropriate. However, the writer in this case is expressing a
>>personal opinion on the matter of a public announcement, and threatening him
>>with disbarment/ostracization is in my modest and respectful opinion, out of
>>order.
>>
>>Best regards,
>>
>>G.
>>
>>
>>Guido D. Corona
>>Email: guidoc at austin.rr.com
>>Cell: (512) 466-1322
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: blind-international-students-bounces at nfbnet.org
>>[mailto:blind-international-students-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of David
>>Andrews
>>Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2009 2:00 PM
>>To: darocho at earthlink.net; Blind International Students Mailing List
>>Subject: Re: [Blind-international-students] Blind-international-students
>>Digest, Vol 4, Issue 3
>>
>>How do you know what this book deal will be.  All we have seen so far is a
>>couple press releases, and it is not appropriate for you to make accusations
>>based on that.  Further, if you continue to promote "Torrents" and other
>>illegal activities on this list you will be banned from the list.
>>
>>David Andrews, List Owner
>>
>>At 01:01 PM 10/15/2009, you wrote:
>>>The significance of the announcement of NFB regarding the KNFB reader's
>>>partnership with Baker, et al, can be summed up in one word: "Commercial."
>>>Far from putting access to digital books closer to the average blind
>>>user, it means that books in digital format will be out of the reach of
>>>most blind consumers, who cannot afford the prices charged by online media
>>vendors.
>>>Fortunately for us, those books are still to be found on many torrent
>>>sites, free of charge.  I imagine NFB will get its cut of the pie, but,
>>>if previous experice is a guide, such ventures won't be very
>>>profitable.  Even among sighted consumers, the digital media enterprises
>>are not earning their keep.
>>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: blind-international-students-bounces at nfbnet.org
>>>[mailto:blind-international-students-bounces at nfbnet.org]On Behalf Of
>>>blind-international-students-request at nfbnet.org
>>>Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2009 2:00 PM
>>>To: blind-international-students at nfbnet.org
>>>Subject: Blind-international-students Digest, Vol 4, Issue 3
>>>
>>>
>>>Send Blind-international-students mailing list submissions to
>>>         blind-international-students at nfbnet.org
>>>
>>>To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
>>>
>>>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blind-international-students_nfbnet.
>>>org
>>>
>>>or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
>>>         blind-international-students-request at nfbnet.org
>>>
>>>You can reach the person managing the list at
>>>         blind-international-students-owner at nfbnet.org
>>>
>>>When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
>>>than "Re: Contents of Blind-international-students digest..."
>>>
>>>
>>>Today's Topics:
>>>
>>>    1. National Federation of the Blind Applauds Partnership Between
>>>       K-NFB Reading Technology and Baker & Taylor (Freeh,       Jessica)
>>>    2. My Introduction (surendra KUMAR GUPTA)
>>>    3. Re: My Introduction (Hina)
>>>    4. Re: My Introduction (Aziza C)
>>>
>>>
>>>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>>Message: 1
>>>Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:14:10 -0500
>>>From: "Freeh,   Jessica" <JFreeh at nfb.org> (by way of David Andrews
>>>         <dandrews at visi.com>)
>>>Subject: [Blind-international-students] National Federation of the
>>>         Blind Applauds Partnership Between K-NFB Reading Technology and
>>Baker
>>>         & Taylor
>>>To: david.andrews at nfbnet.org
>>>Message-ID: <auto-000121760091 at mailfront1.g2host.com>
>>>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; Format="flowed"
>>>
>>>
>>>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>CONTACT:
>>>
>>>Chris Danielsen
>>>
>>>Director of Public Relations
>>>
>>>National Federation of the Blind
>>>
>>>(410) 659-9314, extension 2330
>>>
>>>(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
>>>
>>><mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>National Federation of the Blind Applauds Partnership Between K-NFB
>>>Reading Technology and Baker & Taylor
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Historic Partnership Will Make Millions of Books
>>>   Available for Purchase by the Blind
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Baltimore, Maryland (October 14, 2009): The National Federation of the
>>>Blind, the nation's leading advocate for access to information by the
>>>blind, today applauds the historic partnership between K-NFB Reading
>>>Technology, Inc., the world-renowned pioneer in reading technologies,
>>>and Baker & Taylor, Inc., the world's largest distributor of physical
>>>and digital books and entertainment products.  This five-year
>>>partnership will use K-NFB Reading Technology's soon-to-be-released
>>>electronic book reader to deliver the highest-quality digital book
>>>content to tens of millions of readers worldwide and harness Baker &
>>>Taylor's market leadership and relationships with 44,000 publishers and
>>>major book retailers in more than 120 countries.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind,
>>>said: "We are thrilled that Baker & Taylor has joined forces with K-NFB
>>>Reading Technology.  This partnership, using pioneering e-book
>>>technology, will provide blind and other print-disabled people
>>>heretofore unprecedented access to the printed word.  Until now, the
>>>traditional consumer book market has been largely closed to the blind,
>>>leaving us with limited access to information.  Blind students are
>>>often left behind in coursework, unable to obtain books at the same
>>>time as their sighted peers.  With this groundbreaking new partnership,
>>>for the first time in history, commercial access to millions of books
>>>is about to become a reality for all blind people."
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Ray Kurzweil, CEO of K-NFB Reading Technology, said: "This dynamic
>>>partnership will further my work of more than three decades with the
>>>National Federation of the Blind to make the printed word easily
>>>accessible to the blind.  With our growing repository of e-content,
>>>Baker & Taylor's market leadership, and our innovative book technology,
>>>blind people will have millions of books literally at their fingertips.
>>>We expect this collaboration to revolutionize communication of
>>>knowledge throughout the world."
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Under the broad partnership with Baker & Taylor, K-NFB Reading
>>>Technology's new e-reader with cutting-edge 3-D technology will present
>>>content in formats accessible to the blind and others with diverse
>>>reading needs, and will operate seamlessly on a variety of electronic
>>>devices, including personal computers, smart phones, and cell phones.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>K-NFB Reading Technology, Inc., is a joint venture between Kurzweil
>>>Technologies, Inc., an innovator and pioneer in reading technologies
>>>and the creator of the first print-to-speech reading machine for the
>>>blind, and the National Federation of the Blind, the largest, most
>>>influential membership organization of blind people in the United States.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>###
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>About the National Federation of the Blind
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is
>>>the largest and most influential membership organization of blind
>>>people in the United States.  The NFB improves blind people's lives
>>>through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs
>>>encouraging independence and self-confidence.  It is the leading force
>>>in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind.  In
>>>January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind
>>>Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in the
>>>United States for the blind led by the blind.