jatiN mahindrA doT coM

Google Scores Major Italian Book Deal

Google Books has done it again.  Despite heavy opposition to its book-scanning project, another deal’s been established, and this time, the agreement involves the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage (along with the National Libraries of Florence and Rome). Up to one million out-of-copyright works may be digitized as a result of this arrangement, which is one reason it’s important. ...

Justice Department Objects To Google Books Settlement

The amended Google Books settlement agreement (ASA) has not impressed the U.S. Department of Justice.  A statement the organization issued late yesterday praised the idea of making rare books widely available, but also maintained that there are a number of problems with the proposed deal. The DOJ said, "Under the ASA as proposed, Google would remain the only competitor in the digital marketplace...

Stanford Endorses Google Books Settlement

The last few months were probably long and hard ones for members of the Google Books team; it had started to seem like the whole world objected to their proposed scanning and sharing settlement.  But it turns out that Stanford is on Google’s side, as a new deal was announced this afternoon. Stanford and Google first sealed a book-related deal in late 2004.  In fact, Stanford was one...

Google Bows to Chinese Authors on Book Scanning

Google is used to coming under fire from different groups when it comes to its Google Books project. Most recently, the fire has come from the China Writers Association, which has over 8,000 members. The group complained that Google was scanning and uploading its books without permission from authors. According to a Bloomberg report: The U.S. Internet operator will "respect the wishes of any...

Three More Groups Rally Against Google Books Settlement

The odds of the Google Book settlement being approved – at least if the process comes down to a popularity contest – decreased again this week.  The National Writers Union, American Society of Journalists and Authors, and Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America objected to it. As reported by David Sarno, these groups represent over 4,000 writers and journalists, so they’re...

Google Gives Alex Over a Million Books

Spring Design, the makers of the Alex eReader device, announced it has entered into an agreement with Google, which will see it gaining access to over a million Google Books. Alex users will be able to read these books online or download them using the Android-integrated browser and search applications. "We are pleased to work with Spring Design and the Alex, which is an exciting new reading device,...

Google Books Suffers Defeat In French Court

The Google Books project suffered a significant blow today in France as a Paris court found Google guilty of copyright violations.  The search giant’s been ordered to stop scanning books, remove information from its database, and pay some hefty fines. French publishers brought the lawsuit against Google because they objected to the company scanning (and sharing) books without their permission. ...

Revised Google Books Settlement Still Has Critics

Another milestone in a significant legal dispute has passed; a revised version of the Google Books settlement was submitted to U.S. District Court late Friday.  It looks like the book-scanning clash isn’t nearly over, however, since some powerful groups still have qualms about Google’s proposed resolution. Google tried to dial back both the scope of the agreement and the degree to...

(Another) New Google Books Deadline Set

It could be said that the Google Books case is becoming the new Microsoft-Yahoo deal, having created all sorts of controversy and dragged on and on.  And on some more, as it turns out, since the involved parties are pushing a target date back again. A revised proposal concerning how Google and its critics could settle their differences was originally supposed to be submitted to Judge Denny Chin...

Google Books Gets A Little More Organized

Big libraries are neat – the idea of having so much information (and entertainment) available in one place is just inherently attractive.  The trouble is, big libraries can also be overwhelming, and so Google Books has tried to make its own virtual library a little more accessible by creating a list of available magazines. Jeffrey Peng, a software engineer, put together the list.  It’s...

November 9th Target Set In Google Books Case

An end to the long-running argument over the Google Books settlement may be in sight.  A federal judge has asked both sides to return to court and submit a new agreement by November 9th, with the idea of completely wrapping things up a month or two later. Originally, a Fairness Hearing was supposed to be held today.  But opposition to a proposed settlement mounted – and mounted and...

French Case Over Google Books Begins

French publishers had their first day in court today as a case concerning Google Books began.  Various organizations are clamoring for Google to stop scanning manuscripts, and the plaintiffs are seeking about $22 million in compensation, too. The La Martiniere publishing group originally brought its case against Google several years ago.  Since then, the Syndicat National de l’Edition...

Google Books Opens Door To On-Demand Printing

Few people would argue that computer monitors – no matter how big and how nice – are suitable for displaying entire books.  Even if the text looks okay, monitors still can’t be carried into the kitchen or held above your head on a recliner.  So it may interest readers (along with critics of the Google Books settlement) to know that Google has provided On Demand Books access...

U.S. Copyright Office Objects To Google Books Settlement

More and more, it’s shaping up to be Google versus the world as far as the proposed Google Books settlement is concerned.  In fact, the head of the U.S. Copyright Office sided against Google today, and she seemed to consider that scenario is a real possibility. Marybeth Peters, who’s the official U.S. Register of Copyrights, stated during a House Judiciary Committee hearing, "[I]t...

Google Books Backpedals

Google’s scaled back its literature-related plans in the hopes of not angering publishers and regulators in Europe; the company has said that it won’t add content to Google Books if it’s available for sale on that continent.  At least a few important critics seem unimpressed, however, as France is objecting in a U.S. court.  Originally, Google was just concerned about what...