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93 Comments
- inactive, on 10/11/2007, -3/+77This smacks of the movie industry trying to stop movie rentals back in the day, because it would "kill the industry".
Same idiots, different decade... - mikes1, on 10/11/2007, -0/+65Will he be completing the analogy by giving out free laptops to anyone who asks?
- Anrkist, on 10/11/2007, -6/+44Google should manipulate the search results to do something... fun... to his name/company.
- Ascendant, on 10/11/2007, -3/+37If he doesn't get arrested for this, I think that Diggers should go to RIAA execs' houses and "reposess" their cars to give them a taste of their own medicine. If it's OK for a CEO guy to do this kind of thing, it's OK for the rest of us, right?
- scottc, on 10/11/2007, -2/+33The Macmillan CEO should be charged with theft. It's nearly impossible to hold CEOs accountable when they commit other crimes, but this one seems pretty straightforward to me. Whether Google's actions are right or wrong is completely irrelevant to this crime.
- jmpeagle, on 10/11/2007, -1/+32what about the EVIL public libraries allowing any published book to be read for FREE???? Although it would be kind of hard to steal a library.
/sarcasm - shadus, on 10/11/2007, -1/+24It's amazing how many publishers and such don't understand how the internet can help them... they just hear about piracy and think "oh god we'll never sell another book." The realism of it is, much like music, wider distribution and availability in easily transferable formats increases sales... except when the prices are so high people can't justify it. There's a reason there are so many music services popping up. Searchable texts are great... for finding information, but nothing beats a book for sit down reading and for a reference manual.
- unloud, on 10/11/2007, -1/+19I can sort of understand having the urge to boycott products from movie companies and music companies, but now book company? What a putz; I hope Google de-indexes their company just so that nobody will buy books through them.
- Pic0, on 10/11/2007, -1/+17two laptops $2k, pretty sure they ripoff students more than $2k in their college careers
- OgnodoD, on 10/11/2007, -1/+14What an *****.
- inactive, on 10/11/2007, -4/+16Please remove the windows logo from your profile -- with those kinda comments, you're making us PC users actually look as retarded as the naive Bill Gates lookalike on the Mac commercials.
- darkstar949, on 10/11/2007, -0/+12@apeinago - Maybe I'm just stubborn, but I still prefer the paper version of books, especially when it comes to some technical references and textbooks. Sure I can highlight the screen and attach notes to it as well, but generally I have found that opening the book to exactly the information I need is still much faster than booting up a computer (or application) and either searching or jumping to a book mark. Plus it is still hard to lie down on your back and relax with a tablet or ebook reader than it is with a small paperback.
- EndersGame, on 10/11/2007, -4/+15"Actually, he's not guilty of that. Theft (at least in English-derived legal systems) includes as a necessary element the intent to permanently deprive another of the property in question. Because the company (or the CEO, whatever) intended to give the laptops back, they can't be guilty of theft."
Haha, sure. That means I can go to Best Buy and steal a couple of PS3's and when I get caught I will just tell them I intended on giving them back, I wasn't permanently taking anything. Of course if I don't get caught I have a few new items up for sale on Ebay :)
(You can't really prove intent in the court of law in most cases, if you take something that isn't yours for any period of time its usually defined as theft) - mousky, on 10/11/2007, -0/+9If I either buy your content or use it under the Fair Use provisions, who are you, as the content owner, to tell me what I can and can't do with your content? If I want to make 20 copies of CD for personal use, who are you to tell me I can't do that? You already made your money. Should GM be able to tell me what I can and can't do with my Pontiac Montana? Should GM get a cut of any money I make in using the van for business purposes? Should IBM, Dell and HP get a cut of profit from companies that use their products? Mr. Content Owner, I've paid you or I have used your content under Fair Use, so bugger off and create some new content to sell.
- mandhar, on 10/11/2007, -0/+8What a cheapo.. If he wanted to get back, he should publish a book with Google's code. Not steal their laptop.
That would be tit for tat. - mage1129, on 10/11/2007, -3/+11Did anyone actually read the original article? http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/06/04/book_publisher_google_laptop/
This guy was just complaining that "opt out" consent, where you give consent unless you opt out, isn't the fair way to do business. He tried to prove that point by saying that since google did not opt out of getting their stuff taken then it is fine to take their stuff. I am not saying what he did was right, but he wasn't just being spiteful. - Cyber_Akuma, on 10/11/2007, -0/+8He didnt duplicate their laptop either, he stole it.
- Cyber_Akuma, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7"a taste of their own medicine."
No, that is nothing like what Google is doing, if he wanted to give Google a "a taste of their own medicine" he should have brought a duplicator, made exact copies of the laptops, then allow anyone to use said laptops for free. That will show them! - Ahnteis, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7Not till the current generation of politicians grown old and retire/die.
- uselessexpert, on 10/11/2007, -1/+8WHAT A MORON... And this guy is CEO? Where did he get his education?
I guess in some cases education doesn't matter. That just shows right there that in some companies, any MORON can become a CEO. - mousky, on 10/11/2007, -1/+8Error601: Neither does Google. There is no duplication of books. Google is scanning books to allow users to search on keywords contained in book. Excerpts (2 or 3 pages) from the book may be displayed and there are links to various book retailers where one can BUY the book. Since when did free marketing become a crime?
- Iconwolf, on 10/11/2007, -1/+8Actually I think they have in a few instances (I could be wrong here, but I think they did this with the Belgian news services). ***** I'd take it a step further. In addition to de-indexing people/businesses that complain what Google is doing is wrong, when they eventually figure out how much business they are losing and ask to be relisted I'd charge them a nice re-indexing fee. It shouldn't take more than a handful of highly publicized instances of this for most people to wise up.
- mousky, on 10/11/2007, -0/+6You are confused. In stealing my paycheck, you have deprived me of money that is owed to me, regardless if you give me all the money back. Until you return the paycheck, I am unable to purchase goods and services.
Google does not deprive authors or publishers of their ability to make money. They still have the original copies available for sale. All Google does is provide a mechanism to search words within books and the ability to display those words in a very brief excerpt from the book. Google does not make the entire book available for download or display (unless it is asked to do so or the book is in the public domain). It provides links to various book retailers. Google provides free marketing and drives additional business to other corporations. How evil of them to that. - stuckinOK06, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5"because nobody reads books anymore."
Ever heard of Harry Potter? Do you really think that if it was online they wouldn't have sold any? How come every time I see a pic of a tech nerd in their office, there's a stack 3 feet tall of BOOKS next to their *****-hot computer screen? (Anyone see the pic of Facebook's offices in Fast Company last month?) - Ahnteis, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6"Intellectual property" isn't property. Copyright is an artificial mechanism meant to compensate artists in order to promote culture for the public good.
Just because publishers want you to believe that copyright infringement = theft doesn't make it true.
Additionally, until the courts rule that Google has done something wrong, they are in the right. - geminitojanus, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5"duplication without permission"
Copyright Infringement. It's a tort, not a crime. - 13east, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5can we get rid of guys like these and make way for real progression toward a brighter future?
- BOFH2, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5I am not about to read an entire book online or even on my laptop, but I would like to read a few pages to see if I like the style or have read it before and forgotten.
- rebrane, on 10/11/2007, -1/+5The article clearly says that the CEO "wait[ed] for Google employees to notice the missing laptop." If this doesn't prove intent to deprive I don't know what would.
- DrakeGTA, on 10/11/2007, -3/+7If I recall right, at certain times certain publishers have objected to the concept of libraries. (No source, too lazy to look)
- Ahnteis, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4Well, he'd have to limit them to using the copies for a few minutes just to give people a taste of what the laptops are like. Then he'd have to provide links to buy full-use laptops from Google.
- 13east, on 10/11/2007, -1/+5It's pretty simple, this guy is only trying to protect his own pocket. He knows that once the book is indexed, the amount of money he rakes in every year will drop because there will be no need for middle men like these guys and the authors can publish their books directly online.
- Cyber_Akuma, on 10/11/2007, -1/+5stupid comments = digg down
- optigon, on 10/11/2007, -2/+5If this is the CEO's mentality, if I were on their company's board, I would move to get him out. Holy crap what an idiot!
- Bosox958, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3As someone who has just found the benefits of Google Books, I have to say that it is amazing. It's selection of primary sources makes me sound like a history guru and it has pointed me in the direction of many books that I would have never found at any library. Honestly, theres little reason to go to a library anymore.
- LazyLiberal, on 10/11/2007, -4/+7Why are they not up in arms about public libraries? Google is doing the same thing, just better.
- thefaithful, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3"It's time we remind them who the boss is."
This guy isn't an elected official and actually, legally his boss is the company shareholder.
But you're right in that if you don't agree with him then don't spend your money on his products. - bshock, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Sometimes I can't decide which I despise more: misguided crooks or merely stupid crooks. Clearly this individual is a crook at heart, if not in fact (Macmillan board of directors, you'd do well to check your books immediately and thoroughly). The only remaining question is whether he's stupid enough to believe his own misinterpretation, or whether he's merely so dishonest as to try pushing it on the public.
To Mr. Richard Charkin, the CEO in question: in the unlikely event you have any personal integrity, I counsel you to resign now, before you do any further harm to your company through your overwhelming stupidity and/or dishonesty. - shadus, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2@nodong, speak for yourself.
Most of the *intelligent* people I know read on a regular basis... as do most of their children.
Unfortunately, the number of intelligent doesn't seem to be climbing... I suppose that's something to do with well educated, intelligent people rarely have huge unplanned families like so many of the poor and uneducated. - 10001, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2you seem to have confused 'permission' or 'consensus' with 'right'
If you live in the EU or endorse the evil UN charter its understandable that you have been thusly brainwashed.
you are otherwise correct - sshuit, on 10/11/2007, -2/+4I think they should publish a book with all possible google search results. THAT would teach them not to mess with the almighty pen and paper.
- 10001, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2yes, google should push the criminal angle.... and then catch what comes around
- Himself, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2retire?
you mean wait until my generation passes euthanasia legislation to solve the social security problem!!
We're not forking over our money to old geezers
who could be better used to feed the hungry *
* soylent green - nodong, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2@shadus
I'm a publisher. If you knew anything about the industry, you'll see that, outside of computer book and academic publishers, there are maybe 20 books that barely support a few large publishing houses. The industry is dying, because even well educated people only read 4 or 5 novels a year. If you love literature and read 100 novels a year, that's great for you, but look at statistics before you make caustic accusations of ignorance. - 10001, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2no
google provides the content for free
and also
links to buy the content
which are you more likely to do:
use the goods for free or buy the goods?
Having chosen 'a' how likely are you to also choose 'b'? - 10001, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2why is microsoft up in arms about office/windoze piracy? Pirates are doing the same thing as google, just better (less overhead)
- chaesar, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3Millions of dollars, but no cents (sense).
- 10001, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2@Ratteler
God help us when anyone has to wait on permission from you to exercise their respective liberties! - 10001, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2guess again... but this time do it right
- Jeez, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Google books in all likelyhood will end up killing public libraries and independent publishers. For example all i have to do is do a search on topic i want to read in google look up the book if i find it intresting i order it online, rather than have to go to library and rent it. Sure it costs me few more $$ but its lot more convinient.
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