Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

[Sil Greene <Sil_greene AT unc.edu>]

So I hate to encourage the recent rash of crosspostings from Slashdot, but 
this just might get me mad.  I'm not quite sure yet.

I've always been a big fan of Project Gutenberg and its aims.  Now, 
something called the World eBook Library has put forward Project Gutenberg 
2, providing public access to 27,000 HTML eBooks and paid member access 
to 60,000 PDF eBooks.  The PG2 webpage claims no affiliation or funding 
from Project Gutenberg or the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive 
Foundation.

Now, PG has always been about Public Domain works (largely, tho not 
exclusively), so I find it hard to criticize anyone for redistributing 
their work.  Redistribution under the Project Gutenberg trademark does 
carry some conditions, but there's no requirement that you redistribute 
any given book under that trademark.

What might get me mad is the World eBook Library's use of PG's good name 
for a paid service.  I have no beef with the service; if it's useful 
and cheap, I might use it, but more likely I won't.  I take issue with the 
possibility of someone confusing these guys with Project Gutenberg.
(Are they really claiming "7 years .. [of pioneering] Internet Library 
services"?! .. huh?!?)


Links:
Project Gutenberg:
http://www.gutenberg.net/


Project Gutenberg:  What am I allowed to do with the books I download?
http://www.gutenberg.net/faq/R-24.shtml


Project Gutenberg 2:
http://www.projectgutenberg.info/


World eBook Library:
http://worldlibrary.net/


-- 
"If you put your supper dish to your ears you can hear the sounds
 of a restaurant."  --Snoopy    (Charles Schultz 02-12-2000 RIP)
Sil_Greene AT unc.edu