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

Mon Feb 16 18:20:18 UTC 2009

Can someone tell me how to use the Kindle the way it is now?  Otherwise this 
becomes a philosophical discussion list and it is meant to be a list to 
discuss making electronics that are not accessible usable.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Evans" <drevans at bellsouth.net>
To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances" 
<electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, February 16, 2009 12:44 PM
Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] [nfb-talk] National 
FederationoftheBlindResponds to Authors Guild Statement on the Amazon Kindle 
2

>
> Dear All,
>
> This points out the fact that we need to work on getting the Copywrite law 
> ammended so that every time a book is copywrited, there must also be an 
> electronic copy presented as well.  That copy should be placed in the 
> hands of someplace like the Talking Book Library and each user of the 
> library is issued a users code for their use only.
> The format of the electronic copy should then be such as to limit access 
> only to those users who are listed with the library.
> In this way, all new books and even books going into re-print or next 
> edition would, over time, become accessible to everyone.
> The electronic format would need to be translateable in to other formats 
> such as Braille and this is where it gets sticky.  I do believe that it 
> can be done and that it should be done.
>
> David Evans, NFBF
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <ckrugman at sbcglobal.net>
> To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances" 
> <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, February 15, 2009 5:33 AM
> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] [nfb-talk] National Federation 
> oftheBlindResponds to Authors Guild Statement on the Amazon Kindle 2
>
>
>> 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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>>
>>
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>
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