[SCC_Active_Members] Fwd: [CLASSICBOOKS] Classic Computer Sciencetexts - request from Dave Patterson for suggestions

Fri Sep 23 17:23:24 PDT 2005

In addition to the pursuing the avenues already mentioned by others in 
this thread, I also want people be aware that an additional avenue to 
pursue is to help persuade some of the copyright owners to be willing to 
consider re-licensing their works under one of the choices of terms of 
the Creative Commons.

In the United States, there is a large body of texts that are out of 
print that are slowly disappearing due to existing US copyright terms. 
The Creative Commons offers some good options for copyright owners (in 
addition to releasing works to the public domain).

http://creativecommons.org/text/

Jonathan

Lee Courtney wrote:
> Paul,
> 
> Iverson's "A Programming Language" and Gilman & Rose' "APL An Interactive
> Approach" are both on the ACM nominated list.
> 
> Christian is pursuing republication rights for both these under auspices of
> the SCC. What is the implication for the work we're doing on the SCC if the
> ACM obtains the republication rights? Its unclear from the ACM web site if
> this right will be exclusive, or just allow the ACM to republish on the
> PDC/DL. If the ACM obtain exlcusive rights to this material and restricted
> access to PDL/DC that would be a very very Bad Thing.
> 
> Aside from the legitimate question of how the ACM controls access to this
> material, I just want to make sure our work is not adversely impacted by
> this effort. (BTW - It would be a Good Thing for the ACM to make this
> material public. I would support my ACM membership funds and contributions
> being used to make this and other material freely available to all.)
> 
> Paul - would a letter to Dave Patterson be in order?
> 
> It probably is a good idea to obtain rights to IP we are interested in
> sooner rather than later. I don't think anyone in the Museum community has
> ever, or would ever, restrict any material to Museum members only.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Lee Courtney
> 
> MontaVista Software
> 1237 East Arques Avenue
> Sunnyvale, California 94085
> (408) 328-9238	voice
> (408) 328-9204	fax
> Yahoo IM: charlesleecourtney
> 
> 
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: scc_active-bounces at computerhistory.org
>>[mailto:scc_active-bounces at computerhistory.org]On Behalf Of Paul McJones
>>Sent: Friday, September 23, 2005 2:20 PM
>>To: Philip Gust; Al Kossow
>>Cc: SCC_active at computerhistory.org
>>Subject: Re: [SCC_Active_Members] Fwd: [CLASSICBOOKS] Classic Computer
>>Sciencetexts - request from Dave Patterson for suggestions
>>
>>
>>I would make the argument that their fundraising techniques must not
>>have a side-effect of hurting their ability to carry out their charter
>>of education and dissemination of computing knowledge. I think Al Kossow
>>nailed the issue: if they end up "taking private" documents that have
>>been available on the web -- with the permission of the copyright holder
>>-- then they are doing a net disservice to the world. I've subscribed to
>>the ACM since 1971, and to the ACM Digital Library since it was founded,
>>and I feel very strongly that they should exist to spread knowledge,
>>period, not just to give me a personal competitive advantage over people
>>who don't have the resources or savvy to subscribe to the ACM.
>>
>>Incidentally, I've been having an email conversation with Rick
>>Snodgress, co-chair of ACM's History Committee, about making some
>>ACM-copyrighted materials available to the general public: first some
>>Fortran papers I cite from the SCC Fortran history web site, and then
>>the AFIPS conference proceedings Al Kossow volunteered to give to the
>>ACM.  The situation with the AFIPS materials is that ACM has owned the
>>copyright for years, but doesn't even have a hard copy. Al has been
>>acquiring a fairly complete set, and offered the books and scans of most
>>of them to the ACM. But the ACM is reluctant to spend the money to
>>finish the processing they require for their Digital Library. Snodgrass
>>is trying to get the ACM to process the materials and make them free to
>>all on ACM's server; he agrees that if that isn't possible, "One way or
>>the other, this material should be made available to the world."
>>
>>
>>Paul
>>
>>Philip Gust wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Paul,
>>>
>>>I had the same thought when I saw the announcement.  We'd need to
>>>think through what would be in it for the ACM and present it that
>>>way.  The ACM's charter includes general education and dissemination
>>>of computing knowledge.  Unfortunately, it costs money to do that, and
>>>they help fund their work through enterprises line the ACM Digital
>>>Library.  We'd need to present the case that this is sufficiently
>>>important to their education and dissemination mission to make it
>>>publicly available outside the Digital Library.  Does anyone have any
>>>thoughts on how we could make such a compelling argument?
>>>
>>>At 01:28 PM 9/23/2005, Paul McJones wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Would anyone like to join me in an appeal to make the books available
>>>>to everyone, not just ACM members?  To create awareness of computer
>>>>science in general, and to help young people get started towards a
>>>>career in computer science, it makes sense to make the classic books
>>>>available as widely as possible.  In fact, the ACM should be asking
>>>>its members for money to put them back in print again, with low-cost
>>>>editions available for students and people in countries not as
>>>>prosperous as ours.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Paul
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Philip Gust wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>I'm forwarding this email for those of you who don't get ACM
>>>>>announcements.  I know that we've been discussing classic books in
>>>>>conjunction with our work.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>Approved-By: classicbooks at HQ.ACM.ORG
>>>>>>X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2657.72)
>>>>>>X-pstn-levels:     (S:12.19012/99.90000 R:95.9108 P:95.9108
>>>>>>M:97.0232 C:98.7678
>>>>>>                   )
>>>>>>X-pstn-settings: 4 (1.5000:0.7500) s GT3 gt2 gt1 r p m c
>>>>>>X-pstn-addresses: from <classicbooks at hq.acm.org> forward (org good)
>>>>>>[12/1]
>>>>>>Date:         Fri, 23 Sep 2005 12:29:06 -0400
>>>>>>Reply-To: classicbooks <classicbooks at HQ.ACM.ORG>
>>>>>>Sender: Classic Books List <classics at ACM.ORG>
>>>>>>From: classicbooks <classicbooks at HQ.ACM.ORG>
>>>>>>Subject: [CLASSICBOOKS] Classic Computer Science texts - request
>>>>>>from Dave Patterson for suggestions
>>>>>>Comments: To: "classics at acm.org" <classics at acm.org>
>>>>>>To: classics at ACM.ORG
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Dear ACM Member,
>>>>>>
>>>>>>ACM is launching a new initiative to revive classic, out-of-print
>>>>>>computer science books, with the intent to make the full text
>>>>>>available
>>>>>>online to members via the PDC/DL. I'm asking you to identify the
>>>>>>books you believe are "classics." The suggestions I've
>>
>>received so far
>>
>>>>>>can be viewed at http://www.acm.org/csclassics/.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>You may also nominate classic computer manuals (for example,
>>>>>>IBM 360 Principles of Operation, and DEC PDP-11 Handbook).
>>>>>>
>>>>>>The book must be out of print to qualify. (A book is still considered
>>>>>>"in print" if its fourth edition is selling despite the first
>>>>>>edition being
>>>>>>no longer available).
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Please submit your comments and candidates for CS classics by
>>>>>>Friday, October 7, including why you think your nomination(s) qualify
>>>>>>as classic(s), by filling out the form at
> 
> www.acm.org/csclassicspoll .
> 
>>>>>After this date we will conduct a vote, resulting in the Top 20
>>>>>classic
>>>>>books. You will receive another email with instructions directing you
>>>>>to the Web site with the online poll.
>>>>>
>>>>>Thanks in advance for your help. We believe this will be a great
>>>>>service to our members!
>>>>>
>>>>>Dave Patterson, ACM President
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Philip Gust
>>>>Nouveau Systems, Inc.
>>>>
>>>>phone: +1 650 961-7992
>>>>fax:   +1 520 843-7217
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>mailto: gust at NouveauSystems.com
>>>>
>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>SCC_active mailing list
>>>>SCC_active at computerhistory.org
>>>>http://mail.computerhistory.org/mailman/listinfo/scc_active
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Philip Gust
>>>Nouveau Systems, Inc.
>>>
>>>phone: +1 650 961-7992
>>>fax:   +1 520 843-7217
>>>
>>>
>>>mailto: gust at NouveauSystems.com
>>
>>
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