News aggregator
CharlieCollins: RT @nprnews: Apple, Android Surge In Smartphones, Nip At Nokia http://su.pr/2j7Pvq
CharlieCollins: It's cruel coincidence time of the year. Trying to shed the extra winter pounds, just as hundreds of boxes of Girl Scout cookies arrive ;)
CharlieCollins: Played, and won, first tennis match in months last night (singles league). First time have picked up racket since last summer. Lucky to win.
kebernet: Damages is the best show on TV at the moment. Just sayin.
kebernet: The world is a sparkly sparkly vampire.
kebernet: RT @jvanzyl: All submissions to Maven Central must now be signed with PGP. Rsync connections have 6 months to get PGP signing in place.
kebernet: Wait, why does Google Listen 1.1 not have a share op anymore?
Google Book Search Settlement: Updating the Numbers, Part 2
In our last post, we set out some of Google's numbers for the total number of books that would fall under the amended settlement agreement. Now let’s look at how many and what sorts of rightsholders have come forward as a result of the oft-criticized notice program conducted by Google and the plaintiffs. For starters:
Number of Books Google Says are Subject to the Settlement: About 10 million
According to Rust Consulting, the company administering the notice program, 44,450 claim forms (both online and hardcopy) have been received as of February 8, plus 485 "lists" (a kind of modified claim request). The claims relate to approximately 1.13 million books and 21,829 "inserts" (i.e., things like a short story or article in an anthology). Of the 1,107,620 books claimed online, 619,531 are classified by Google as out-of-print and 488,089 are classified as in-print.
Total number of claimants: 44,450
Total books claimed: 1,125,339
Total inserts claimed: 21,829
Percentage of books claimed (online only) that Google classifies as out of print: 56%
So, of the 10 million books potentially covered by the amended settlement on Google's numbers, rightsholders have spoken up for a little more than 10%. Because there may be disagreements between the author and the publisher about who owns the rights, it is possible that some of these claims are actually competing claims for the same book.
Percentage of books claimed on Google's numbers: about 10%
As of the January 28 deadline for opting out, Rust reports receiving 6,818 requests for "exclusion" (which Rust uses here to mean simply "opting out of the settlement"). Adding that number to the 44,450 claiming responses makes a total of a little over 50,000 rightsholder responses, with about 87% choosing to participate in some form in the settlement and 13% opting out altogether. Keep in mind that those who objected to the settlement—and there were over 500 objections filed—had to stay in the settlement in order to object, so the 87% number shouldn’t be read as consisting only of those who favor the settlement.
Percentage of responding rightsholders who have opted out: 13%
Percentage of responding rightsholders who have chosen to participate in some form: 87%
The “Exhibit D” document of Rust Consulting's submission, consisting of four tables, was initially unhelpful and unenlightening, because none of the columns seemed to be properly labeled. However, upon EFF's request, Google promptly had Rust provide a clearer document, which has the missing information (Google says that the prior problem was due to scanning and that the document has not changed). Google confirmed one error in the first table: the correct number of online publisher claims should be 4,312 and 880 for agent claims.
The publisher claims account for 787,942 out of the 1,107,620 books claimed, or 71%, with an average of 895 books per claiming account. It is interesting that a relatively small number of publishers accounted for the bulk of the claimed works.
Percentage of books claimed by publishers: 71%
Percentage of books claimed by authors: 29%
At the fairness hearing, the lawyer for the Science Fiction Writers group raised concerns that publishers are claiming works that are out-of-print, which is problematic since in many instances those rights should have reverted to the authors. The attorney noted that the Google Books settlement appeared to be creating an opportunity for publishers to try to claim ongoing rights, and corresponding income, from works that they had abandoned and to which they may not have current contractual rights. This is one of many criticisms raised by author groups as well as the Department of Justice at the fairness hearing -- that the settlement rides roughshod over the contractual relationships between authors and publishers.
These numbers help clarify the picture, at least a bit. We hope Google, the plaintiffs, and Rust Consulting will provide even more numbers moving forward so that the public can continue to assess the settlement even as the Court deliberates.
fredRupert Murdoch: The Future of Newspapers
Rupert Murdoch: The Future of NewspapersRupert Murdoch owns the controlling interest in News Corp., which in turn owns media properties on five continents -- properties that include some 170 newspapers, dozens of television stations, half a dozen television networks, a publishing company, and a movie studio.
In this wide-ranging interview, Murdoch discusses his rise from proprietor of the Adelaide News at age 22 (on the death of his father) to international media mogul. Weighing in on topics as varied as capitalism, feature films, China, and Google, the conversation invariably returns to newspapers and journalism. He answers charges about the political slant to his papers.
"[The Wall Street Journal] certainly hasn't become conservative -- maybe a little more balanced. And the rest of the press is often monolithically unfair." He asserts that, "in today's digital age, content is not just king, it's the emperor" and rejects the idea that the government must get involved to ensure the survival of a free press (an idea suggested by Dan Rather).
"A bailout for newspapers?" Rupert Murdoch calls it "rubbish, and very dangerous rubbish."
Date: Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Stanford, CA, Hoover Institution, Hoover Institution
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/02/05/Rupert_Murdoch_The_Future_of_Newspapers(author unknown)02042938872454209198
Internet Explorer gains modicum of HTML5
CharlieCollins: @michaelg Holy animal cruelty batman, you mean, as in, @Scobleizer had something useful to say? What post, this is a see to believe ;)
CharlieCollins: @pamelafox I went with wife and kids to IHOP this AM for the free short stack, yummy. Was packed with high school and college kids ;).
CharlieCollins: Let's try to shave fewer yaks out there today.
Seesmic web – great GWT application
Seesmic web is a web client for twitter. The new version is simply great ! It is certainly one of the best example of what fantastic web applications Google Web Toolkit helps to build.
Try it !
@romefort : Bon boulot !
Seesmic Web (736 hits)onGWT via twitter (67 hits)dgirard129125791564154815930944040248100086978203675158265955979800
CharlieCollins: RT @shitmydadsays: "A parent's only as good as their dumbest kid. If one wins a Nobel Prize but the other gets robbed by a hooker, you f ...
CharlieCollins: How to use a semicolon http://theoatmeal.com/comics/semicolon
CharlieCollins: @Oatmeal Your'e one of those left hand dock guys eh? I knew there was something I liked about you, along with shared dolphin punching hobby.
CharlieCollins: RT @mosabua: How cool is that? http://bit.ly/94A9um My #Maven #Android chapter in production. Thanks @tobrien and @hugojosefson Send fee ...
CharlieCollins: Got my Burpee catalog in the mail today, guess that means it's time to start planning #garden2010
Regarding Foursquare and Please Rob Me
A la larga cualquier innovación tecnológica juega en contra nuestro, si hilamos muy muy fino. Shared by jordisoler
A la larga cualquier innovación tecnológica juega en contra nuestro, si hilamos muy muy fino.
The more things change...
"... Anyone who wants to can see a list of all the events you are planning on attending? It's like a stalker's delight."— Comment about Upcoming.org from September 23, 2003, six days after launch
"It's bad enough we're using real names and telling people where we've been. Now it's like prepping someone for the best times to try robbing your apartment."— Comment from June 2005
Further back, from the Montreal Gazette, September 1983...
From 1977, don't list your weddings or funerals in the paper, unless you want to get robbed...
