Approved-By:  Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <LIBPACS@UHUPVM1.BITNET>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pacs-l
Date:         Mon, 17 Aug 1992 08:17:24 CDT
From:         Ernest Perez <EPEREZ@UTDALLAS.BITNET>
Subject:      OBI2 - ONLINE BOOK INITIATIVE

----------------------------Original message----------------------------

[FORWARDED MESSAGE RELATING TO THE ONLINE BOOK INITIATIVE]


>Date: Fri, 24 Jul 92 18:50:12 -0400
>From: bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein)
>Message-Id: <9207242250.AA08827@world.std.com>
>To: publish@chron.com
>Subject: Online Book Initiative...
>
>
>Since many people have requested information from me since OBI was
>mentioned on this list I figured I would post one note and hopefully
>be done with it.
>
>First, a few specific points:
>
>1. All of the OBI is available for no charge via anonymous FTP to
>world.std.com, under the directory /obi.
>
>2. OBI can also be accessed, for charge, by creating an account on
>world.std.com (modem dial-up: 617-739-0202, or telnet world.std.com).
>There's no charge for OBI per se, just for using the system in general
>($5/mo+$2/hr or $20/mo for 20-hours, $1/hr thereafter for 20/20, mail
>to staff@world.std.com for info.)
>
>3. I don't particularly dabble in OCR projects except to put things up
>on OBI. I've just never figured out how to get that sort of work done
>for the kinds of prices people are usually looking for (i.e. low.)
>It's tedious and time-consuming work, particularly proofing.
>
>4. Yes, we are aware of projects like Gutenberg and others. In fact,
>we frequently talk with them soas not to duplicate efforts. With
>millions of potentially interesting volumes to put on line there's
>room for probably 10,000 such projects. If each of 10,000 projects put
>100 different books on-line, a lot of work, that would be 1M books
>online, about 5% of the LOC.
>
>5. The OBI mailing list has been inactive for a while. Maybe one of
>these days I'll crank it back up. It wasn't particularly useful to the
>project, though interesting (e.g. people chit-chatted about online
>formats and interminably about their own understanding of copyright
>laws, which is fine, but doesn't particularly put anything on-line,
>and running a list does take time away from the main goals.)
>
>Finally, attached below is an article I wrote some time ago for the
>GNUS Bulletin (FSF) which overviews OBI and its goals. Everything on
>OBI is, as far as I know and hope, freely redistributable.
>
>        -Barry Shein
>
>Software Tool & Die    | bzs@world.std.com          | uunet!world!bzs
>Purveyors to the Trade | Voice: 617-739-0202        | Login: 617-739-WRLD
>
>
>
>
>                THE ONLINE BOOK INITIATIVE*
>
>                   Barry Shein
>               Software Tool & Die
>                bzs@world.std.com
>
>
>The Online Book Initiative has been formed to make available freely
>redistributable collections of information. There exists huge
>collections of books, conference proceedings, reference material,
>catalogues, etc. which can be freely shared. Some of it is in
>machine-readable form, much of it isn't.
>
>The purpose of the Online Book Initiative is to create a publicly
>accessible repository for this information, a net-worker's library.
>
>Information in the Online Book Repository will be available for free
>redistribution. On-line access, magnetic media and other methods of
>distribution will involve reasonable charges for the services
>provided, not the information.
>
>There are other organizations with similar overall goals (e.g. Project
>Gutenberg, Common Knowledge), in some cases the details of their goals
>or approaches are quite different. We are in contact with most of them
>and in general our conversations are very positive. Anyone putting
>textual information on-line soon develops an attitude of "the more,
>the merrier", it's a massive area of endeavor.
>
>WHAT WE WISH TO ARCHIVE
>
>All on-line materials (other than software collections) such as books,
>journals, catalogues, conference proceedings, magazines, manuals,
>maps, images, technical documentation, reference works, etc. The only
>software we are interested in is software specific to the viewing,
>manipulation, searching and maintenance of information in the
>repository.
>
>Materials must be free of copyrights limiting redistribution by us or
>any individual or organization who receives them. This is primarily
>because we have no idea how to achieve our goals using copyrightable
>materials.
>
>We also need pointers to collections of materials which may be
>available. For example, there are government collections of
>interesting data which are available at reasonable costs and do not
>limit further redistribution of copies obtained.
>
>WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU
>
>Beyond machine-readable material there are huge collections of printed
>material which could be redistributed if put on-line. We need people
>willing to organize informal projects to scan, type or otherwise get
>this material on-line for inclusion in the Online Book Repository.
>
>We need to get in touch with Library and Information Scientists
>interested in helping us create formats and structures for organizing
>the repository.
>
>We need international participation to help ensure our efforts are
>useful to people everywhere.
>
>We need people willing to participate in a Technical Advisory Board to
>help us guide our efforts.
>
>We need involvement from academia, industry and governments to help us
>enrich this effort without bounds and make available a first-rate,
>freely available information utility.
>
>We need involvement from publishers who have materials which can be
>included in the Online Book Repository. Many books and reference works
>become unprofitable to publish by ordinary paper means. It's time to
>make these materials available!
>
>We need involvement from the technical community to choose and
>implement multi-media software standards such as hypertext, mark-up
>languages, index and catalogue software, text retrieval, network
>access methods and more. Standards are critical to our efforts.
>
>WHAT WE ARE OFFERING
>
>WORLD.STD.COM is a public access UNIX system which will serve as the
>initial repository. It is a Sun4/280 system and will be expanded as
>needed.
>
>Anyone can dial into the system and set up an account if they wish
>direct access (617-739-WRLD.) Accounts are charged and proceeds will
>be used to build the Online Book Repository.
>
>UUCP and other links will be available for the redistribution of
>collections. We will also make collections available on magnetic media
>for reasonable copying charges.
>
>HOW TO GET INVOLVED
>
>If you think you can help or want more information send electronic
>mail to:
>
>                obi@world.std.com
>
>There are two mailing lists, one for general discussion about OBI
>issues and another which receives announcements only (the general
>discussion list will see all announcements so you only need to be on
>one.) To subscribe to either, mail a request to:
>
>               obi-request@world.std.com
>
>Or call us at Software Tool & Die, 617-739-0202.
>
>Or drop by our office and chat if you're in the area: 1330 Beacon
>Street, Brookline, MA 02146.
>
>POSTSCRIPT
>
>This started as an informal discussion group which called themselves
>"The KiloMonkeys Project" (``Strong Typing For Weak Minds'') who
>wanted to figure out how to get useful materials on-line and generally
>available. I have decided to make Software Tool & Die a home for this
>activity and formalize the project under the new name "The Online Book
>Initiative." My thanks to that original group from Monkey Shein.
>
>* "The Online Book Initiative" is a trademark of Software Tool & Die,
>Inc.
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU