Microsoft, its new pet dog Yahoo, and Amazon have decided to join together in the soon to be formed Open Book Alliance. You might expect this to be a revolutionary new collaborative effort at delivering the written word in a way that makes
Google Books pale into insignificance, but you would, of course, be wrong. Far from trying to compete with Google, The OBA is set to act as the collective mouthpiece for all those opposed to Google's recent $125 million settlement deal with book publishers and authors. With the
US Department of Justice already investigating antitrust concerns relating to the case, the other big dogs just couldn't restrain themselves from coming together for a united whinge. Should the settlement be cleared, it will permit Google non-exclusive rights to orphan works (those without an established writer) and will give it a 30 per cent cut of books sold via Google Books, both things that authors have agreed to. So
what's there to moan about, fellas -- we all trust Google to do the right thing, right?
posted August 21st 2009 8:23AM
their really trying to take Google down aren't they!
"its new pet dog Yahoo"
I'm laughing on the outside... poor Yahoo. Engadget's wit and humor make this site worth coming to.
This wins for most confusing article of the week. Congratulations.
How is this different than the "Open Content Alliance" they all formed back in 2006?
http://www.cio.com/article/27060/Yahoo_Deals_Google_a_Blow_in_Book_Scan_Case/1
That's it, I can't take it anymore. I'm moving to the Opt-out village.
The internet darling is losing it's mojo. Let the anti-trust barrage against Google begin; I've been waiting a while for this.
losing its mojo? me laughs inside!! Everybody loves Google except Microhoo fanboys, ATT and Comcast. Google stands for everything that's good about the internet, openness and net neutrality.
I meant 'love" instead of "laugh" damn where is that edit button engadget
Google stands for net neutrality as long as it's their net and their neutrality. If you think Google is above making money and being non-competitive and using your information for their ends then you really need to get your head out of their ass.
I'm glad to see the grassroots rise up, led by Microsoft and Amazon...
... wait, what?
Is it me or is their a massive infestation of Microsoft employees trolling Engadget on a daily basis? People here are defending Microsoft as if it was their sweet sainted mother.
Nah, we are just standing with who we think is right. I fail to believe that every single one of Google's move is for benefit of the people and the people only. Google has been trying to control EVERYTHING and release products free of charge in exchange for your info.
It's just mind blowing how people think that Google is the saint 100% of the time...
FYI this came from a non Microsoft employee.
No, it's not just you. It started like a year ago.
must be a hell of a lot of Apple employees then too.........
fail at thinking everyone who likes a microsoft product is an employee.
go back to elementary school and stop reading the conspiracy theory forums.
"Well surely if anyone is capable of pulling a Microsoft it has got to be Microsoft."
Oh, you really mean Apple! Apple gets away with everything Microsoft is criticized and sued for.
Am I the only one to see the irony of Amazon being involved in an "Open Book Alliance"? I say bullcrap. Obviously, they don't want ANYONE to give free access to any book. That would severely impare their Kindle book sales.
So what's really the aim of the "Open Book Alliance"?
It's not in Amazon's interest to see any competitor in the digital book business start up, especially one as well-funded as Google. That's their motivation.
Since when did Microsoft need motivation to oppose Google? I kid, but seriously, anything that hurts Google is to Microsoft's (relative) benefit.
I'm not sure why the Internet Archive feels threatened, but if they seriously think this will lead to a Google monopoly on out-of-print works... well, I think they ought to look at the Google Books settlement in another light, as a precedent for other such agreements, or the prototype for a general framework for works of ambiguous ownership. Their efforts seem misplaced, in other words.
The only thing that unites OBA, as far as I can tell, is fear of Google.
This is really a very relevant article. This seems to be so interesting to know how the three major sites had been united to turn google down. This is a great challenge for them that they must overcome the status of google.
Let's see for the future standings of this sites.
lol from this, you could actually see how much of a threat google really is to Microsoft..
MS never do any shit that benefit people. When a company comes along and threaten them....then they'll do something. I hope they fail miserably. Google was first to truly gives user free email while MS bought out hotmail and start nagging people to pay for a piece of crappy email system that is now msn mail. No one wanted their shitty email so they had to give it for free. And even then it doesn't do anything but collect spam. I don't even know why it's even still running. That thing is useless as shit...I take that back, you can use shit as fertilizer.
I don't know about you, but your thoughts seem rather distorted from what I perceived as reality.
MS never benefits people? Amazing, because I thought MS grants a lot of tech scholarships, offers big discounts for college students, made some really nice free services and software for users, donates millions to some causes, etc. I think Yahoo! Mail offered free e-mail before Gmail, and I think even Hotmail had a free version at its time.
I and many of my friends use Windows Live Hotmail and I've rarely ever had spam issues. Practically EVERY spam message lands in my Junk folder. I don't think you've actually used it since the old "msn mail" days.
Another one of those ignorant MS haters.
Microsoft is complaining about another company's business practices?
Pot. Kettle. Black.