Book People Archive

Re: Early ebook history info wanted; "Alice"; Brown Corpus; Vannevar...

In a message dated 1/11/2006 2:49:08 PM Mountain Standard Time, 
hart@[redacted] writes:

> Mr. Noring's message seems to indicate he had not read my reply
> to his earlier requests when he wrote his latest message, so I
> will wait to see.
> 
> In addition, he refers to my work on Project Gutenberg as an
> "experiment."
> 

Although there are experiments which go on for more than 34 years, 
multigenerational experiments are few and far between.  So I would say 
that the use of "experiment" in relation to Project Gutenberg is a poor 
choice in words.  I have heard people way that "the U.S. is a 200 
plus year experiment in freedom."  Though lately I have been 
wondering if that is a true statement every time I go through metal detectors
to get into a public building or be searched when I get onboard a plane. If
experiment is to be chosen then successful as 'successful experiment" 
should be included.

Really though Jon Noring is remarkably persistent in his point of view as is
Michael Hart.  My point of view is more in line with Michael's than with 
Jon's. But there is room for both in this world.  But then I am an amateur in 
the etext/ebook business and much of what goes on in the university and 
publishing world is difficult for me to understand the rational for it.  But 
then I think there isn't a format that does everything one needs to produce an 
exact copy of every book. I am also not sure one needs an exact copy of  
a printed book. At best we have a compromise.  And no I don't consider 30 
megs of images in a PDF file to be an exact copy of a real book.  Even 
that is a compromise.  So you can have your niche and I will take my mine.
I think mine (niche) is bigger than yours.  

David Reed