Well, this lowly Author has little chance of getting a fair shot with the Google Author Settlement, but Microsoft and it's war chest might get it's day in court.
This interesting article entitled "Who’s Messing With the Google Book Settlement? Hint: They’re in Redmond, Washington" illustrates perfectly why the Google Author Settlement isn't about Authors at all, but rather, control of the internet. Click here: Who’s Messing With the Google Book Settlement? Hint: They’re in Redmond, Washington Epicenter Wired.com
Here is a meaty excerpt --
"Explaining what the New York Law School brings to the party,Kornstein cited its mission "to understand the interplay of law and technology and influence their development to serve democratic values in the digital age … to extend human knowledge and harness new informational tools to the goals of social justice." The Institute, he writes, "is in a position to make a significant contribution to the resolution of the legal issues in dispute by virtue of its recognized scholarly expertise in intellectual property and Internet law.”
And, oh, by the way, he also discloses that the efforts of "the second oldest independent law school in the United States" is funded in part by Google’s main competitor, Microsoft.
The chief investigator of the New York Law School project is JamesGrimmelmann. In an earlier career phase, associate law professorGrimmelmann worked as a programmer for Microsoft. At a conference inFebruary, Grimmelmann was discussing his views of the book settlement with a policy specialist of his former employer, and the Microsoft exec reminded Grimmelmann that the company has had a continuing interest in funding academic efforts.
On March 11, Grimmelmann laid out the project in a proposal sent toMicrosoft. The amicus brief is one four initiatives the Law School will undertake. The others are a series of white papers, a symposium on the settlement issues, and a website that will act as a hub of activity for those challenging or asking for changes on the settlement. Grimmelmann proposed that Microsoft’s contribution to fund these efforts should be$50,000, and he now confirms Microsoft pledged that amount. ThoughGrimmelmann says other contributors may emerge, currently Microsoft is the sole outside funder of New York Law School’s Google Book SettlementProject.
Microsoft says that its behavior should be viewed in the context of similar academic grants over the years. "We are funding this like we fund dozens of law projects," says Tom Rubin, Microsoft’s chief counsel for intellectual property strategy. "The issues that are implicated in the settlement are important ones. New York Law School has taken an important position on orphan works and they deserve to be heard."
Rubin says that as with other instances of Microsoft funding of academic projects, the recipients maintain their independence and are free to reach any conclusions. He won’t comment on whether Microsoft itself plans to file an objection to the settlement.
It may be a good investment on Microsoft’s part, but doesn’t theMicrosoft money taint New York Law School’s efforts? "I’m sure there’s a danger in being perceived as compromised," says Grimmelmann. "But I know it’s not affecting our work. Microsoft is willing to send us money to do good work with our students and we’re happy to take it."(Grimmelmann’s own stance on the Google Settlement, first expressed in a blog posting last November, is rather nuanced. He thinks it’s a positive development, but wants significant change — generally, ones that restrain Google. He also says that at various times, his positions on issues have been anti-Microsoft as well as anti-Google.)
My conversation with Grimmelmann came just after his session at theEast Coast Foo Camp last weekend, a conference run by O’Reilly Media.The name of the session was "Hacking the Google Book Settlement."
Turns out that cleverest hacker here is Microsoft, making an academic grant that may help put some judicial heat on its rival."
Okay, can I puke now? What the hell is the "East Coast Foo Camp"?!, and what is with all these damn sessions, and conferences, where the Google Author Settlement is discussed in detail, but apparently THERE ARE NO ACTUAL CLASS MEMBERS THERE!!!!
This interesting article entitled "Who’s Messing With the Google Book Settlement? Hint: They’re in Redmond, Washington" illustrates perfectly why the Google Author Settlement isn't about Authors at all, but rather, control of the internet. Click here: Who’s Messing With the Google Book Settlement? Hint: They’re in Redmond, Washington Epicenter Wired.com
Here is a meaty excerpt --
"Explaining what the New York Law School brings to the party,Kornstein cited its mission "to understand the interplay of law and technology and influence their development to serve democratic values in the digital age … to extend human knowledge and harness new informational tools to the goals of social justice." The Institute, he writes, "is in a position to make a significant contribution to the resolution of the legal issues in dispute by virtue of its recognized scholarly expertise in intellectual property and Internet law.”
And, oh, by the way, he also discloses that the efforts of "the second oldest independent law school in the United States" is funded in part by Google’s main competitor, Microsoft.
The chief investigator of the New York Law School project is JamesGrimmelmann. In an earlier career phase, associate law professorGrimmelmann worked as a programmer for Microsoft. At a conference inFebruary, Grimmelmann was discussing his views of the book settlement with a policy specialist of his former employer, and the Microsoft exec reminded Grimmelmann that the company has had a continuing interest in funding academic efforts.
On March 11, Grimmelmann laid out the project in a proposal sent toMicrosoft. The amicus brief is one four initiatives the Law School will undertake. The others are a series of white papers, a symposium on the settlement issues, and a website that will act as a hub of activity for those challenging or asking for changes on the settlement. Grimmelmann proposed that Microsoft’s contribution to fund these efforts should be$50,000, and he now confirms Microsoft pledged that amount. ThoughGrimmelmann says other contributors may emerge, currently Microsoft is the sole outside funder of New York Law School’s Google Book SettlementProject.
Microsoft says that its behavior should be viewed in the context of similar academic grants over the years. "We are funding this like we fund dozens of law projects," says Tom Rubin, Microsoft’s chief counsel for intellectual property strategy. "The issues that are implicated in the settlement are important ones. New York Law School has taken an important position on orphan works and they deserve to be heard."
Rubin says that as with other instances of Microsoft funding of academic projects, the recipients maintain their independence and are free to reach any conclusions. He won’t comment on whether Microsoft itself plans to file an objection to the settlement.
It may be a good investment on Microsoft’s part, but doesn’t theMicrosoft money taint New York Law School’s efforts? "I’m sure there’s a danger in being perceived as compromised," says Grimmelmann. "But I know it’s not affecting our work. Microsoft is willing to send us money to do good work with our students and we’re happy to take it."(Grimmelmann’s own stance on the Google Settlement, first expressed in a blog posting last November, is rather nuanced. He thinks it’s a positive development, but wants significant change — generally, ones that restrain Google. He also says that at various times, his positions on issues have been anti-Microsoft as well as anti-Google.)
My conversation with Grimmelmann came just after his session at theEast Coast Foo Camp last weekend, a conference run by O’Reilly Media.The name of the session was "Hacking the Google Book Settlement."
Turns out that cleverest hacker here is Microsoft, making an academic grant that may help put some judicial heat on its rival."
Okay, can I puke now? What the hell is the "East Coast Foo Camp"?!, and what is with all these damn sessions, and conferences, where the Google Author Settlement is discussed in detail, but apparently THERE ARE NO ACTUAL CLASS MEMBERS THERE!!!!
Yeah, I'm also pretty pissed off with all these so-called academics getting money from mega corporations to discuss so-called legal issues when all they are doing is taking the cash, and running their mouths. I mean what the fuck do they really care, beyond their paychecks?
I'd feel better having Michael Vick as a neighbor.
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