[Electronics-talk] [nfb-talk] National Federation of the BlindResponds to Authors Guild Statement on the Amazon Kindle 2

Fri Feb 13 15:48:50 UTC 2009

I'm with you 100% on this one, Ray.  Blind folks must have the same access 
to books and other printed documents as their sighted peers.  It's the law. 
Apparently, thede self-righteous nit-wits have never heard of the Americans 
With Disabilities Act.  I hope the NFB sues them out of existence.

Gerald
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ray Foret jr" <rforetjr at comcast.net>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, February 13, 2009 9:55 AM
Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] [nfb-talk] National Federation of the 
BlindResponds to Authors Guild Statement on the Amazon Kindle 2

>I can't help but wonder.  Has the Author's guild had their heads buried in
> the sand since 1934 or earlier?  Could they honestly be so stupid as to 
> not
> have ever been aware of public law 89-522?  Were they un-aware that, for
> years, we, the blind, have been using talking books beginning in 1934 with
> vinyl phonograph records and with cassettes beginning at least in 1967 or
> so?  Wince comes this crazy outlandish statement that reading books 
> allowed
> is a violation of copy right?  Are they really and consciously against the
> blind; or, perhaps just un-aware?  Well, what ever the case may happen to
> be, perhaps they will awaken to their senses now that we have responded in
> this fashion.  If not, then what?  Do we sue the entire author's guild; 
> or,
> just target those individuals directly responsible for making that
> statement?  Something just strikes me all wrong about this sudden
> declaration upon the part of the author's guild; I mean really, that they
> should now just come right strait out and say that reading books allowed 
> is
> a violation of copy right.  Smacks of prudential arrogance, in my humble
> opinion!!!  I also can't help but wonder.  How would they feel if one of
> their members went blind and did not want to or could not (for what ever
> reason) learn Braille?  Ah, then what?  Mind you, I don't wish that on any
> of their members; still and all, part of me can't help but ask the 
> question.
> What next if they resist?  Well, no doubt we'll be taking further action I
> dare speculate.  I guess it gets harder "at the top of the stairs"; so to
> speak.  Most of me would, as I say, prefer to believe that this is a case 
> of
> mere ignorance on their parts; but, somehow, I just cannot bring myself to
> that conclusion.  in the end, I'm coming down on the side that it's not
> accidental or ignorance; rather, it's a deliberate attack upon all the
> blind; and, for that matter, the sited illiterate of this country.  I'd
> rather peace, but, if it's war they want, damn it, let's go to war!!!!!
>
> Sincerely,
> The Constantly BAREFOOTED Ray
>
> "Old friend, what are you looking for?  After those many years abroad you
> come With images you tended Under foreign skies Far away from your own 
> land"
> George Seferis
>
> Phone or Fax::
> +1 (985) 360-3375
> e-mail:
> rforetjratcomcastdotnet
> Skype Name:
> barefootedray
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Freeh,Jessica (by way of David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>)"
> <JFreeh at nfb.org>
> To: <david.andrews at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2009 9:38 PM
> Subject: [nfb-talk] National Federation of the Blind Responds to Authors
> Guild Statement on the Amazon Kindle 2
>
>
> 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 Responds to Authors Guild
> Statement on the Amazon Kindle 2
>
> Baltimore, Maryland (February 12, 2009): The National Federation of
> the Blind, the largest organization of blind people in the United
> States, today responded to a statement put out by the Authors Guild
> advising its members to consider negotiating contracts prohibiting
> e-books to be read aloud by the new Amazon Kindle 2, which
> incorporates text-to-speech technology. The Authors Guild argues that
> the reading of a book out loud by a machine is a copyright
> infringement unless the copyright holder has specifically granted
> permission for the book to be read aloud.
>
> Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind,
> said: "The National Federation of the Blind supports all technologies
> that allow blind people to have better access to the printed word,
> including the ability of devices like the Kindle 2 to read commercial
> e-books aloud using text-to-speech technology. Although the Authors
> Guild claims that it supports making books accessible to the blind,
> its position on the inclusion of text-to-speech technology in the
> Kindle 2 is harmful to blind people. The Authors Guild says that
> having a book read aloud by a machine in the privacy of one's home or
> vehicle is a copyright infringement. But blind people routinely use
> readers, either human or machine, to access books that are not
> available in alternative formats like Braille or audio. Up until now,
> no one has argued that this is illegal, but now the Authors Guild
> says that it is. This is absolutely wrong. The blind and other
> readers have the right for books to be presented to us in the format
> that is most useful to us, and we are not violating copyright law as
> long as we use readers, either human or machine, for private rather
> than public listening. The key point is that reading aloud in private
> is the same whether done by a person or a machine, and reading aloud
> in private is never an infringement of copyright.
>
> "Amazon has taken a step in the right direction by including
> text-to-speech technology for reading e-books aloud on its new Kindle
> 2," Dr. Maurer continued. "We note, however, that the device itself
> cannot be used independently by a blind reader because the controls
> to download a book and begin reading it aloud are visual and
> therefore inaccessible to the blind. We urge Amazon to rectify this
> situation as soon as possible in order to make the Kindle 2 a device
> that truly can be used both by blind and sighted readers. By doing
> so, Amazon will make it possible for blind people to purchase a new
> book and begin reading it immediately, just as sighted people do."
>
>
>
> ###
>
>
>
> 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.
>
>
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