[Dtb-talk] I Guess That Several People Know.

[Greg Kearney]

There are many reasons for an NLS program some of which you cite. Some  
books will never have the wide appeal to create the interesting in  
producing a commercial recording. Some patrons are unable to reach a  
library or their library will not have or can not get a title to them.  
And abridged recording are clearly not acceptable.

I agree that Authors have a right to protect there works. Has not the  
limited distribution of NLS books done this for many years, While the  
books were recorded at slow speed on 4 track recording the players for  
these tapes were always for sale to anyone who wished to buy one.  
Further there were tools also for sale to the general public to  
transform NLS to conventional recordings Yet there never was any mass  
copying of NLS tapes. Would not DAISY and it's unique format me  
enough? Why is it that the NLS is alone in the world's libraries in  
implementing this?

For years we have had a talking book program which used special tapes,  
the players could be purchased by anyone disabled or not yet there  
never was any widespread problem with copying the books. So why spend  
all the time and trouble devising a system which limits the legitimate  
user of the book while doing nothing to deter the dishonest?

Greg
On Sep 16, 2007, at 10:12 AM, Ray Foret Jr wrote:

> In which case, why even have a talking book program at all?  If we're
> talking about distribution of the NLS recording of a book to the  
> public, and
> then a commercial recording of that same book to the users of the  
> talking
> book program, why not just shut down the talking book program all  
> together?
> Presumably, it's the same master recordings anyway.  Well, let's  
> see, if we
> did that, the issue would arise of the local library not having nor  
> having
> access to a particular book which a patron might wish to read.  Let  
> me give
> you a specific example of the just such a case and point.  "A  
> Canticle For
> Leibowitz" is one of my favorite books of all time.  However, my local
> library does not have this book in an audio format.  The best I can  
> do to
> get this title is to go through inter library lone and get it via  
> analog
> cassette.  There's another factor you are overlooking.  Many  
> recorded titles
> available to the public are greatly abridged.  This is not acceptable.
> Here's another point.  Authors have the legal right to have their work
> protected.  That's why the encryption.  Back in the days when the  
> four track
> format was being decided on for analog cassettes, It was for the  
> very same
> reasons.  Would you have, at that time, advocated that NLS ignore  
> the right
> of Copy right protection for Authors and just recorded the books on  
> Analog
> cassettes at 1 and seven eights inches per second two track?  If you  
> say
> "yes", then, again, I ask you,  why even have the talking book  
> program at
> all.  By the logic you seem to employ, The entire talking book  
> program is a
> waste and we shouldn't even bother with it.
>
> Sincerely yours,
> The Constantly Barefooted,
> Ray
> Home phone and fax:
> (985)853-0139
> E-mail:
> rforetjratbellsouthdotnet
> Skype Name:
> barefootedray
> Blog:
> www.raysworld.blogs.com
> Podcast .rss Feed:
> http://feeds.feedburner.com/worldofray
>
> God bless President George W. Bush!
> God bless our troops!
> and God bless America
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Greg Kearney" <gkearney at gmail.com>
> To: "Lynn Evans" <evans-lynn at comcast.net>; "Discussion of Digital  
> Talking
> Books" <dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, September 16, 2007 10:44 AM
> Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] I Guess That Several People Know.
>
>
>>
>> All you need to do is go to the NLS home page for a link to what the
>> new
>> player is and what it will do.
>>
>>
>>
>> http://www.loc.gov/nls/
>>
>>
>
>
> Here is what the NLS sight does not tell you however:
>
> 1. There the second USB port the one they say is "Next to the jack is
> a USB port for repair personnel to use for diagnostic information."
> Can also be used for playing books from commercial USB pen drives. A
> rather important feature to omit mentioning don't you think?
>
> 2. That the player can also play unencrypted DAISY 2.02 and DIASY/NISO
> 2002 books but not likely the latest standard DIAYS/NISO 2005 books.
>
> 3. That the player can play MP3 files in name order from a USB pen
> drive.
>
> 4 That those special cartridges are nothing more than standard USB pen
> drives wrapped in a special plastic case.
>
> But as I have said my complaint is not with the players which are fine
> machine well designed and from what I have been able to to tell, from
> my very limited contact with them, work very well. Even possessing
> features the NLS does not disclose.
>
> My issue surround the encryption that the books will use. How much
> effort, money and time that such has taken up which has, increased the
> cost of the players and more importantly delayed the introduction of
> the digital talking books in the United States. A protection scheme
> that, until it is broken, which it will be, prevents the patron from
> playing the books on the player of their choice, adds needless cost
> and complexity to any player. All to protect the publishers from a
> danger that they themselves ignore and which, had the NLS not called
> attention to itself with encryption, would likely never have been a
> problem in the first place.
>
> Why would anyone steal NLS recordings when you can go to your public
> library and get them for free? Wouldn't the limited distribution that
> NLS book get provide the publishers with the protection the library
> feels they need without inconvenience to the patrons? Remember that it
> is clear the the publishers do not care. Perhaps the NLS could have
> worked out an arrangement with the publishers to permit them, the
> publishers, to sell the NLS recording of the books to the general
> public while the NLS could have access to the commercially done
> recording for their patrons. In this way the number of recorded book
> both for the disabled and the general public would have been greatly
> expanded and the NLS would have been saved the time, trouble and
> expense of recording title for which recordings already existed.
>
> Greg Kearney
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