Theos-Talk Archives (January 2011 Message tt00017)

While I agree with your points, there are many who can benefit from books.
Hence I still do not see why printed materials cannot be made available for
free on-line when technology is available. In today's world, if theosophical
publishers do not respond, scanners are going to do the job for them. Let us
wait and see.

On Sun, Jan 2, 2011 at 4:49 AM, email2cal <email2cal@G0ArPI8reqVDc1GhBgiJjp7X-ti_De_BSFpZwvx2u0DvKiDlxRrmKhHOOeMmnkaZHwybCXbgif990ps.yahoo.invalid> wrote:

>
>
> Dear MKR,
>
> What you wrote about certainly is a problem, but I consider it a
> minor one. Book learning is not particularly useful; true spiritual
> knowledge may come from a competent guru if one is fortunate to have
> one, but even in the absence of a guru one can always rely on one's
> higher self (the spiritual triad) for access to true knowledge. We
> may agonize over issues like insufficient funds, inaccessibility of
> materials we judge very important (e.g., the complete text of Book of
> Dzyan), unavailability of good gurus in our geographical area, etc.,
> but the higher self is always there ready to help free of charge
> (provided we asked for help). Some people may grieve because they
> don't know Sanskrit or the Tibetan language and cannot read Oriental
> writings in which presumably are hid the treasures of wisdom; but our
> higher selves don't speak to us in Sanskrit or Tibetan--they speak in
> our own language. And so forth. So perhaps yours is a $1 question.
>
> Max
>
>
> --- 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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