The Internet Archive is saved from copyright law shutdown

Bob Russell · 12-02-2006, 11:05 AM

The Internet Archive is not all that famous with the general public, but it has gained a lot of respect and appreciation from those familiar with the Internet who have found it. The site is an amazing feat, with archives of texts, audio, moving images, and software. In fact, there is an area with preserved texts, and they encourage people to contribute their own texts.

There are over two petabytes of storage, which is an incredible two million gig. You can find all kinds of older movies. In addition they have old versions of web sites such as this archive of MobileRead with the Way Back Machine. It seems a sure bet to embarrass anyone that has ever published material on the web!

This historic record has been threatened by copyright law, due to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Only now have the been given a reprieve with the six exemptions published recently by the Library of Congress. The Register points out that "The ruling grants exemption to 'computer programs and video games distributed in formats that have become obsolete and that require the original media or hardware as a condition of access, when circumvention is accomplished for the purpose of preservation or archival reproduction of published digital works by a library or archive.'"

"Another exemption allows educational establishments to 'break' digital rights management (DRM) technology for audiovisual works to be used by media studies or film classes, while another exemption that allows users to bypass DRM on CDs in order to test and fix DRM technology which might damage the user's computer. 'Thanks to the hard work of two great law school students of Peter Jaszi of American University, Jieun Kim and Doug Agopsowicz, the Internet Archive and other libraries may continue to preserve software and video game titles without fear of going to jail," said a statement from the Internet Archive.'"

However, there's a long way to go before we find a good balance in copyright law. That statement also said that the exemption still "leaves the overall draconian nature of the DMCA in effect."

RWood · 12-02-2006, 08:29 PM

Thanks for this article reference. This is a site I always wished existed and never knew DID exist. Thank you.

tcv · 12-02-2006, 11:16 PM

It's a pretty amazing site. I do, wonder, though, whether we'd be concerned about its longevity if it were a brick-and-mortar library. Does it somehow not seem like a real library to those who would shut it down? Are they worried that people can copy stuff out of the materials they save? (You can do that at a regular library, too, y'know.)

RWood · 12-02-2006, 11:24 PM

To many the concept that others might have knowledge is frightening to them. Libraries of all types provide knowledge.

NatCh · 12-03-2006, 12:09 AM

1) Reading is Knowledge.
2) Knowledge is Power.
3) Power corrupts.

Therefore to protect the 'innocent' we must burn down all the libraries.

(If it need be said: tongue firmly in cheek)

bjmiller · 02-19-2007, 01:37 PM

I have long used the internet archives, and I am happy to hear that it will endure, there are just loads of things there that is helpful. Although most of the information is out dated, the computer chronicals has always been interesting to me.

yvanleterrible · 02-19-2007, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

1) Reading is Knowledge.
2) Knowledge is Power.
3) Power corrupts.

Therefore to protect the 'innocent' we must burn down all the libraries.

(If it need be said: tongue firmly in cheek)

Now!Now! Do I detect a touch of socialism here?

B3t That is quite a library, it's almost daunting!

NatCh · 02-19-2007, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

Now!Now! Do I detect a touch of socialism here?

Nah, that one probably falls under communism or fascism -- something more totalitarian than mere socialism.

yvanleterrible · 02-19-2007, 03:47 PM

Or maybe E-Readerism? for the 'Burn the Libraries' part.

NatCh · 02-19-2007, 03:52 PM

Yeah, well, ya know....

RWood · 02-19-2007, 04:00 PM

So do we still have the right to bear libraries?

NatCh · 02-19-2007, 04:30 PM

Hey, if you can lift one of them, who's going to argue the point with you?

yvanleterrible · 02-19-2007, 05:11 PM

Lift up your reader and you've lifted up a library! Ain't that great? No back ache.

NatCh · 02-19-2007, 05:26 PM

Hmm, true, but now I can't claim super-human status just by lifting "a library" -- shucks.

12-02-2006, 11:05 AM	#1
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	The Internet Archive is saved from copyright law shutdown The Internet Archive is not all that famous with the general public, but it has gained a lot of respect and appreciation from those familiar with the Internet who have found it. The site is an amazing feat, with archives of texts, audio, moving images, and software. In fact, there is an area with preserved texts, and they encourage people to contribute their own texts. There are over two petabytes of storage, which is an incredible two million gig. You can find all kinds of older movies. In addition they have old versions of web sites such as this archive of MobileRead with the Way Back Machine. It seems a sure bet to embarrass anyone that has ever published material on the web! This historic record has been threatened by copyright law, due to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Only now have the been given a reprieve with the six exemptions published recently by the Library of Congress. The Register points out that "The ruling grants exemption to 'computer programs and video games distributed in formats that have become obsolete and that require the original media or hardware as a condition of access, when circumvention is accomplished for the purpose of preservation or archival reproduction of published digital works by a library or archive.'" "Another exemption allows educational establishments to 'break' digital rights management (DRM) technology for audiovisual works to be used by media studies or film classes, while another exemption that allows users to bypass DRM on CDs in order to test and fix DRM technology which might damage the user's computer. 'Thanks to the hard work of two great law school students of Peter Jaszi of American University, Jieun Kim and Doug Agopsowicz, the Internet Archive and other libraries may continue to preserve software and video game titles without fear of going to jail," said a statement from the Internet Archive.'" However, there's a long way to go before we find a good balance in copyright law. That statement also said that the exemption still "leaves the overall draconian nature of the DMCA in effect."

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12-02-2006, 08:29 PM	#2
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	Thanks for this article reference. This is a site I always wished existed and never knew DID exist. Thank you.

12-02-2006, 11:16 PM	#3
tcv Addict Posts: 330 Karma: 596 Join Date: Oct 2006	It's a pretty amazing site. I do, wonder, though, whether we'd be concerned about its longevity if it were a brick-and-mortar library. Does it somehow not seem like a real library to those who would shut it down? Are they worried that people can copy stuff out of the materials they save? (You can do that at a regular library, too, y'know.)

12-02-2006, 11:24 PM	#4
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	To many the concept that others might have knowledge is frightening to them. Libraries of all types provide knowledge.

12-03-2006, 12:09 AM	#5
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	1) Reading is Knowledge. 2) Knowledge is Power. 3) Power corrupts. Therefore to protect the 'innocent' we must burn down all the libraries. (If it need be said: tongue firmly in cheek)

02-19-2007, 01:37 PM	#6
bjmiller Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2007 Device: Palm TX	I have long used the internet archives, and I am happy to hear that it will endure, there are just loads of things there that is helpful. Although most of the information is out dated, the computer chronicals has always been interesting to me.

02-19-2007, 03:47 PM	#9
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	Or maybe E-Readerism? for the 'Burn the Libraries' part.

02-19-2007, 03:52 PM	#10
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Yeah, well, ya know....

02-19-2007, 04:00 PM	#11
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	So do we still have the right to bear libraries?

02-19-2007, 04:30 PM	#12
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Hey, if you can lift one of them, who's going to argue the point with you?

02-19-2007, 05:11 PM	#13
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	Lift up your reader and you've lifted up a library! Ain't that great? No back ache.

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02-19-2007, 05:26 PM	#14
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Hmm, true, but now I can't claim super-human status just by lifting "a library" -- shucks.