[Dtb-talk] NLS Digital Happenings Speech

Sat Apr 28 16:11:15 CDT 2007

Hello Jennifer and listers,

I'll be more supportive of the effort to get NLS its appropriation provided
that Congress mandates that NLS and other producers of digital talking books
enable their books to play using any player capable of playing books in the
DAISY Digital Talking Book Format. If other countries are using unencrypted
DTBS without all of the nightmares concerning DRM and encryption perhaps the
U.S. should follow their lead.Had they  conversation occurred several days
before you wrote your letter you could have included a suggestion for this
mandate to your congressman. However, its good that you let them know that
the appropriation is needed for the conversion of NLS'S analog to digital
book format to be completed on time.

Peter Donahue

  ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jennifer Aberdeen" <freespirit328 at gmail.com>
To: "Discussion of Digital Talking Books" <dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2007 3:43 PM
Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] NLS Digital Happenings Speech

If I had known this a few days ago, I wouldn't have emailed my
representatives about this. I thought I was doing a good thing, but if I'm
going to have to buy a number of different players-I'd rather buy the audio
books in the store.

Jen
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>
To: "Discussion of Digital Talking Books" <dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2007 2:54 PM
Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] NLS Digital Happenings Speech

> Hello again Greg and listers,
>
>    Perhaps this is one reason why Congress is reluctant to appropriate
> funds for the digital talking book conversion program. Why should we ask
> the
> taxpayers to fund the creation of an encryption  system which will be
> cracked shortly after DTBS become available to NLS patrons? I'm all for
> urging them to give NLS the needed appropriations for the DTB conversion
> provided that these books can be played on all players capable of handling
> DTBS.
>
> Peter Donahue
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Greg Kearney" <gkearney at gmail.com>
> To: "Discussion of Digital Talking Books" <dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2007 9:49 AM
> Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] NLS Digital Happenings Speech
>
>
> I have been working with Apple on Daisy playback integrated into the
> MacOS and in iPod. There are some issues that will have to be
> addressed for the playback of NLS books. As I understand it it comes
> down to this:
>
> NLS books will be encrypted, both the SIML files and the audio
> itself. Because the players will only be issued to NLS patrons they
> will be able to decrypt the books. The problem with computers is they
> will have to be able to detect that the user of the computer is
> somehow an "authorized" NLS patron as opposed to to just a general
> user. There are several ways to do this. The NLS could issue a key
> file to patrons who request it. this is how the RFBD system is done.
> This keyfile could be placed at the root level of the filesystem and
> could even expire every year or so. Software could ask for an NLS
> password and then check against a database of NLS users on the net.
> Books could use some sort of public/private key system like PGP to
> verify the user.
>
> All this said as the author of DTBmaker for Macintosh which does not
> make encrypted books and never will,  I think the whole business of
> encrypting books is a fool's errand. It inconveniences the honest and
> does nothing to deter the criminal. I am willing to wager that within
> 6 months of wide release there will be a means of breaking the
> encryption on NLS books. As a result many thousands of dollars of
> development funds will have be wasted.
>
> Further it seems to be a solution looking for a problem. In all the
> years that we have had four track tapes which are simple to copy has
> there ever been wide speared duplication of NLS books? The reasoning
> has always been that you needed a special tape player to play NLS
> tapes but those players are widely sold and can be found on ebay even
> NLS issued one:
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270114582419
>
> Also anyone with good recording equipmetn could make a normal speed
> copy playable on any tape player. Finally while the NLS is spending
> time and effort encrypting books the publishers themselves are
> releasing those same book on CD in unencrypted format. I have been
> able to take these recording and produce Daisy recording will but
> small effort. If the publishers themselves don't care about
> encryption why should the NLS bother with it?
>
> Greg Kearney
> On Apr 27, 2007, at 21:42 , David Andrews wrote:
>
>> I believe that NLS has no plans to do a software player, whether or
>> not third parties do one is unknown to me.
>>
>> Dave
>>
>> At 07:29 PM 4/27/2007, you wrote:
>>> Hello Dan and listers,
>>>
>>>    Are they going to develop a software player for those who don't
>>> have the
>>> NLS player when it's made available? It only makes sense to me for
>>> them to
>>> do so.
>>>
>>> Peter Donahue
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: <DanFlasar at aol.com>
>>> To: <dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Friday, April 27, 2007 6:11 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] NLS Digital Happenings Speech
>>>
>>>
>>> The download project will not be usable by most patrons because
>>> you won't
>>> be
>>> able to play the downloaded books until you get a player.     As I
>>> currently
>>> understand it - there will be 200 players available for home  testing
>>> sometime
>>> early in 2008.  By the end of that year, there will be  5000
>>> production
>>> players sent to the various libraries (avg 100/library).   These
>>> will be
>>> distributed according to the state library affiliate.
>>>     The digital download site is already up and  running for the
>>> pilot
>>> program (we have modified Victor Readers) but it won't be  useful
>>> until you
>>> can
>>> play the books.
>>>       I hope this helps.
>>> Dan F
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ************************************** See what's free at
>>> http://www.aol.com.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>>> -------
>>> ----
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Dtb-talk mailing list
>>> Dtb-talk at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/dtb-talk
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Dtb-talk mailing list
>>> Dtb-talk at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/dtb-talk
>>>
>>> __________ NOD32 2225 (20070427) Information __________
>>>
>>> This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
>>> http://www.eset.com
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Dtb-talk mailing list
>> Dtb-talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/dtb-talk
>
> _______________________________________________
> Dtb-talk mailing list
> Dtb-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/dtb-talk
>
> _______________________________________________
> Dtb-talk mailing list
> Dtb-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/dtb-talk

_______________________________________________
Dtb-talk mailing list
Dtb-talk at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/dtb-talk