Quote:
Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes
I'm only concerned when the paper book is not published anymore and it's availability falls to nothing because the eBook isn't available either. There are many important books that fall into this category. I'm reading a couple next year for my reading challenge. They aren't old enough to fall into public domain, but weren't published in large quantities and aren't published anymore from what I can tell. That is the knowledge that will disappear because we don't protect our knowledge like we protect companies.
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I don't generally see much knowledge disappearing if a particular book is hard to find or unavailable. Especially if the book is fiction. The enjoyment of that particular book is perhaps unavailable, but the knowledge itself? The authors perspective on the knowledge may be unavailable, but the factual knowledge is almost always available in non fiction works or by works from other authors. If it is practical or useful knowledge for us the masses, than chances are it resides in many places.
I am sure there are cases of actual knowledge with world changing aspects that have disappeared in times past do to destruction or hoarding etc. but I don't know that for sure obviously. I also don't know of any important information/knowledge disappearing entirely because an ebook or paper book is no longer being published. Enlighten me.
Helen