Theos-Talk Archives (December 2010 Message tt00251)

The main issue is simply how the Society is going respond to the changed
world of publishing. Todate, I have not seen any statement from any of the
Publishing Houses on this issue. One thing for sure, continuing to operate
under the traditional business model, Publishing Houses will cease to be
financially viable operations and have to be shut down and we may see this
happen in our life times, at least in the West.

MKR

On Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 11:38 AM, thalprin <thalprin@iJ7AQZnPQFFi7I4iMBt6ERXcrvqHLMDReTmFyDsaAn0cGHjRsFqamtDDo-W4Z677MmufTUs0rOxzKuW7sA.yahoo.invalid> wrote:

>
>
> Actually, as a Society with a publishing house and a/its stable of writers
> mainly being foundational members I'd check your Society' original articles,
> pertaining to early materials, if I were you.
>
> Given that lodges have self autonomy it may well be that these copyrights,
> for early/foundational materials, are owned by (or excepted for,) the
> Society, dunno.
>
> Terrie
>
> --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com <theos-talk%40yahoogroups.com>, MKR
> <mkr777@...> wrote:
> >
> > The $64,000 Question
> >
> > I have purchased a book and I need an electronic copy to be loaded to my
> > computer so that I can read it during my travel/vacation and also I may
> need
> > it for reference when I write emails. For love or money, no electronic
> copy
> > is available from the publisher/copyright holder. What am I supposed to
> do?
> > Just put up with the situation and do nothing?
> >
> > Let me take another scenario. I find this very expensive book which costs
> > $95 plus shipping (this is not made up, The Judge Case book published in
> > Canada costs this much) and I am in a third world country where this is
> out
> > of reach to most theosophists and only super rich ones can afford it.
> >
> > Everyone will argue that we cannot violate copyright laws (which are
> > designed from a money making point of view and not with a view to
> > distribution information). On the other hand, every theosophist knows
> that
> > for every law, there are exceptions, even though exceptions come with
> > certain potential costs and risks.
> >
> > Today, very fast scanners are cheap. If you Google, you will find methods
> > how with a digital camera, a camera stand and a $3.99 desk lamp and free
> > software you can scan a book and convert it to a pdf file. If you are
> > desperate, you may go ahead and get a pdf file made and be prepared to
> pay
> > the ÃâËKarmicÃââ and civil price.
> >
> > In this situation, would it not be nice for theosophical publishers to
> come
> > forward and make pdf copies available for free to download from Internet.
> > This is very cost effective and we can follow the Shareware model in the
> > computer program industry to support the costs of producing the books.
> >
> > Will 2011 be the year that electronic publishing of theosophical
> materials
> > is going to take off? It is entirely in the hands of elected leaders of
> > theosophical organizations as well as authors of books. If status quo is
> > maintained, you will see declining sales of hard copy publications and
> which
> > will eventually make traditional theosophical publishing shut down for
> good.
> >
> > Let us all pray so that we will all be beneficiaries of electronic copies
> of
> > publications in 2011.
> >
> > MKR
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>
>  
>


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