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

Fri Feb 13 23:18:15 UTC 2009

Hey, watch that suing Amazon.com out of existence.  I buy hundreds of items 
from them per year and none are books.  The I'm no lawyer, but I don't think 
the ADA applies to all electronic devices such as the Kindle, because if it 
did then everything in existence would have talking features.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gerald Levy" <bwaylimited at verizon.net>
To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances" 
<electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, February 13, 2009 10:48 AM
Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] [nfb-talk] National Federation of the 
BlindResponds to Authors Guild Statement on the Amazon Kindle 2


>
> 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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