Quote:
Originally Posted by DawnFalcon
Yes, if you're fixed into a very narrow view which refuses to see the box. The actual content of the database is irrelevant. The value is that google have for each book they scanned identified the rights owners.
Is it going to be near perfect? No, but it'll eliminate many of the common-case problems. Trying for perfection is this sort of thing is a very good way of paralysing the system into doing nothing.
|
You are mistaken about the content of Google's database. Google is not researching who owns what works. Rather they are relying on the rights owners to come forward and let Google know that they own some of the works.
According to Larry Lessig, about 80% of works currently under copyright have no known rights owners. So about 80% of Google's database will have no known rights holders. Of they 20% that are known, they are probably rather well known, so Google's database doesn't help much.
And to further complicate matters, there's no penalty for claiming to hold a copyright when you don't.