[gui-talk] any progress in NLS DTB limited access issues?

[Mike Freeman]

Your recommendation is totally foolhardy! Something similar shut down webbraille for a while.

The simple fact is that NLS has decided software platforms on PC''s will not be provided access to digital talking books. Remember that BookShare is volunteer; NLS is held to a higher standard whether we like it or not. We were lucky to get full-funding for the dtb program. Please think before you advocate.

Mike

----- Original Message -----
From: "Hoffman, Allen" <Allen.Hoffman at dhs.gov>
To: <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
Date: Thursday, Apr 29, 2010 16:13:14
Subject: [gui-talk] any progress in NLS DTB limited access issues?

>
>
> Anyone know if there is any movement to provide UAC for such products as
> FS Reader for NLS digital talking books?  The concept that bookshare.org
> can produce volumes of materials for various platform usage, with
> adequate if not draconian IP protections, while the well funded NLS
> chooses to keep things to non-mainstream platforms seems ridiculous.  If
> this doesn't change soon I recommend folks start writing their
> Congressman about finding new budget solutions to this problem.  It is
> all well and good to have a benevolent NLS to provide leisure materials
> for folks, but insisting we can't be trusted to keep our access terms is
> just a poor way to serve the public as a government in my opinion.  I am
> finding that I read far more from bookshare.org of late than NLS anyway,
> so it may just become something irrelevant to me soon.  I just hate to
> see tax dollars spent without a more direct connection between a
> perceived problem and reality.  Same goes for the whole publishing
> industry's perceived problem with copying of materials by people with
> disabilities.  If your book was so good that it gets copied
> electronically, you probably have buyers anyway.  Besides, if the
> accessible version is not for sale, they were not missing any revenues,
> and if someone is copying materials for sale then the publisher was
> missing a market opportunity of their own.
>  
> I personally think that NLS should have a audiobooks sales licensing
> side for publishers to use as they see fit-e.g. NLS does the contract to
> get the materials recorded, and if a publisher wants to sell this to the
> general public, it should be allowed.  Gives publishers motivation to
> make things easy to get NLS to record, and maybe there even is some
> revenue sharing, beyond taxes, that could make the project more self
> supportive.
> Anyhow, just wondering if it's time to send Congressmen letters, or if
> progress is being made to improve NLS services for the modern world.
>  
>  
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