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

Fri Feb 13 21:28:39 UTC 2009

It would be helpful if we could actually see what the authors' guild said --
the actual language they used, rather than a paraphrase of what they said.
I'd appreciate it if this could be sent out to the list. In what context was
this statement made? Over the phone? In an officially-sanctioned document?
In proposed legislation? 
Please provide the context and the actual wording of the statement from the
authors' Guild. Thanks.  

John Riehl 

-----Original Message-----
From: electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Evelyn Weckerly
Sent: Friday, February 13, 2009 10:12 AM
To: Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances
Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] [nfb-talk] National Federation of the Blind
Responds to Authors Guild Statement on the Amazon Kindle 2

Hi,

Even if one of their members went blind and did learn braille, doing without
sound recording or reading aloud would be crippling because so much is
available that way. I suspect that these people are paranoied about
copyright. Once a long time ago I had aobook brailled for me that I
absolutely had to have for my teaching American literature. Ginn, I think
then owned by Xerox,allowed only one braille copy to be made. I had the
teacher's manual done as well. I think the whole thing was something like 40
volumes.Obviously, that response was filled with both ignorance and
copyright paranoia, and I'm talking about something that was done 25-30
years ago!

Evelyn

  At 09:55 AM 2/13/2009, you wrote:
>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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