Google hits back at book critics 谷歌回应在线图书馆评论
文章来源:未知 文章作者:meng 发布时间:2009-10-11 03:18 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
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Google co-founder Sergey Brin has hit out at critics of the company's plans to create what could be the world's largest virtual library.

谷歌共同创始人Sergey Brin对该公司计划建设世界上最大虚拟图书馆的批评进行反击。

Google
Google's digital library plans have met with strong opposition1.

Writing in the New York Times, Mr Brin said he wanted to "dispel2(驱散,驱逐) some myths" surrounding the project.

He said the plan would make millions of "out-of-print" books available to the public online.

Those against the idea fear it would give Google a monopoly(垄断,专利) over access to the world's information.

"In reality, nothing in this agreement precludes3(预先排除) any other company or organisation4 from pursuing their own similar effort," he wrote.

"The agreement limits consumer choice in out-of-print books about as much as it limits consumer choice in unicorns5.

"Today, if you want to access a typical out-of-print book, you have only one choice — fly to one of a handful of leading libraries in the country and hope to find it in the stacks."

'No deal'

Google Books - formerly6 known as Google print - was first launched in 2004.

It aims to scan millions of the world's books and make them available - and searchable - online.

However, in 2005 the Authors Guild7 of America and Association of American Publishers sued Google over "massive copyright infringement8(版权侵犯)".

Google countered that its project represented "fair use".

The search giant settled the lawsuit9 in 2008. In that deal, Google agreed to pay $125m (£76m) to create a Book Rights Registry, where authors and publishers could register works and receive compensation.

Authors and publishers would get 70% from the sale of these books with Google keeping the remaining 30%.

Google would also be given the right to digitise orphan10 works, titles where the authors cannot be found. There are thought to be around five million of these works.

A decision on whether the deal could go through was originally scheduled for early October.

But, after an outpouring(流出,流露) of criticism - from governments, technology companies, privacy advocates(提倡者,拥护者) and consumer watchdogs - as well as formal objections from the US Department of Justice, the presiding Judge sent the deal back to the drawing board.

"Many of us are objecting because we have been working together for years on the mass scanning of out-of-print books - and have worked to get books online for far longer than Google - and Google's 'settlement' could hurt our efforts," wrote Brewster Khale of the Internet Archive in a blog post earlier this week.

The Internet Archive has a competing project, which aims to offer a free digital library. It scans around 1000 books a day.

"A major part of our efforts have concentrated on changing the law so everyone would benefit."

On Wednesday, the judge said the hearing on the reworked settlement would begin on 9 November.



点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 opposition eIUxU     
n.反对,敌对
参考例句:
  • The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
  • The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。
2 dispel XtQx0     
vt.驱走,驱散,消除
参考例句:
  • I tried in vain to dispel her misgivings.我试图消除她的疑虑,但没有成功。
  • We hope the programme will dispel certain misconceptions about the disease.我们希望这个节目能消除对这种疾病的一些误解。
3 precludes a6099ad5ef93a1df2eb33804a8db6373     
v.阻止( preclude的第三人称单数 );排除;妨碍;使…行不通
参考例句:
  • Lack of time precludes any further discussion. 由于时间不足,不可能进行深入的讨论。
  • The surface reactivity of many nonblack fillers generally precludes strong bonding with this type of matrix. 许多非碳黑填料的表面反应性一般阻碍与该种基质形成牢固的粘结。 来自辞典例句
4 organisation organisation     
n.组织,安排,团体,有机休
参考例句:
  • The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
  • His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。
5 unicorns 02d8c4ac323c5df679077f020f170453     
n.(传说中身体似马的)独角兽( unicorn的名词复数 );一角鲸;独角兽标记
参考例句:
  • Unicorns are legendary beasts. 独角兽是传说里的野兽。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Assemble50 Elder Druids, 30 Silver Unicorns and10 Green Dragons do defend it. 募集50个德鲁伊长老,30只银色独角兽和10条绿龙用于防御。 来自互联网
6 formerly ni3x9     
adv.从前,以前
参考例句:
  • We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
  • This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。
7 guild 45qyy     
n.行会,同业公会,协会
参考例句:
  • He used to be a member of the Writers' Guild of America.他曾是美国作家协会的一员。
  • You had better incorporate the firm into your guild.你最好把这个公司并入你的行业协会。
8 infringement nbvz3     
n.违反;侵权
参考例句:
  • Infringement of this regulation would automatically rule you out of the championship.违背这一规则会被自动取消参加锦标赛的资格。
  • The committee ruled that the US ban constituted an infringement of free trade.委员会裁定美国的禁令对自由贸易构成了侵犯
9 lawsuit A14xy     
n.诉讼,控诉
参考例句:
  • They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
  • He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。
10 orphan QJExg     
n.孤儿;adj.无父母的
参考例句:
  • He brought up the orphan and passed onto him his knowledge of medicine.他把一个孤儿养大,并且把自己的医术传给了他。
  • The orphan had been reared in a convent by some good sisters.这个孤儿在一所修道院里被几个好心的修女带大。
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