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

Sun Feb 15 10:33:03 UTC 2009

Hopefully that issue will be resoslved favorably in the future so there will 
be equal access for such products.
Chuck
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Charlie Richardson" <charlieofalbany at hotmail.com>
To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances" 
<electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, February 13, 2009 3:18 PM
Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] [nfb-talk] National Federation of 
theBlindResponds to Authors Guild Statement on the Amazon Kindle 2


> 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.
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nfb-talk mailing list
>>> nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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>
>
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