Dangerously e-books: How do I know if my ebooks have been altered?

[ST-One]

Originally Posted by Catlady

I don't use the MR library, as I've stated, because it is indeed a waste of time to read material that is suspect.

Please. Personally, I'd never have read, for example, Thomas Mann's Buddenbrooks (now one of my favourite novels) if it weren't for the MR library-upload by brucewelch (unfortunately Mann's works had to be taken down because of life+70).

[Araucaria]

Going back a little bit to what this thread has shown me, I've had a look at some of the MR versions of PG-origin Zane Grey books (yes, there are still people who read them), and I've noticed that the tilde is universally missing from mañana and cañon - and there may be other Spanish words also missing the ñ.

It's an easy correction to make and I'm quite happy to do it myself, but I don't want to offend the original uploader - crich70 - by muscling in and posting my own versions with such small changes.

What's the best way to go about this? Is it to send the revised files to crich70 so he can replace his original version?

Of course, at the same time I'll naturally want to change sentences like ' "Kate, you let Duane make love to Jennie?" queried Bland, incredulously.' to the (surely much more acceptable) ' "Kate, you let Duane talk sweet nothings to Jennie?" queried Bland, incredulously.', so as not to mislead modern youth about what has been going on. I'm sure if Zane Grey had been living in the 21st century it's exactly what he'd have written.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Araucaria

Going back a little bit to what this thread has shown me, I've had a look at some of the MR versions of PG-origin Zane Grey books (yes, there are still people who read them), and I've noticed that the tilde is universally missing from mañana and cañon - and there may be other Spanish words also missing the ñ.

It's an easy correction to make and I'm quite happy to do it myself, but I don't want to offend the original uploader - crich70 - by muscling in and posting my own versions with such small changes.

What's the best way to go about this? Is it to send the revised files to crich70 so he can replace his original version?

Of course, at the same time I'll naturally want to change sentences like ' "Kate, you let Duane make love to Jennie?" queried Bland, incredulously.' to the (surely much more acceptable) ' "Kate, you let Duane talk sweet nothings to Jennie?" queried Bland, incredulously.', so as not to mislead modern youth about what has been going on. I'm sure if Zane Grey had been living in the 21st century it's exactly what he'd have written.

Thank you! We must protect our children.

[pdurrant]

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Posts against MR guidelines, and posts commenting on those posts have been removed.

Thanks to those who reported the original offending post rather than commenting on it.

[Dr. Drib]

Moderator Notice

WARNING OF THREAD CLOSURE

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[Catlady]

Originally Posted by jandrew

So, your objection isn't really about having the information about any changes readily available? And it doesn't seem be about whether other versions you deem more correct are available. Your only satisfactory remedy would be to have this particular version overwritten with a version you approve of or removed from the library entirely?

The problem extends beyond ONE BOOK.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by Salgueiros

Bloody hell! Where did this cat lady came from? This thread looks like the kindergarten version of Twilight Zone. Get a book!

Well, I'm not the one acting like a kindergartener. The moderators say they've been deleting posts because of insults. None of my posts have been deleted; I'm not the one throwing sand in the sandbox.

[eschwartz]

Wow, how exciting things have been early this morning.

@Araucaria, if we have learned nothing else from this thread, at least we should put a notice to the effect that that has been done.

PM the corrections to crich70, or just post it to the thread. Either way, I am sure he will get it and be happy to use your fixes.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Catlady

The problem extends beyond ONE BOOK.

Seems to me the problem has now been solved -- for that book.

That would be the book that began this whole tedious argument, and I don't remember seeing any references to any other infringing-on-Catlady's-ideals books...

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Then what would solve it?

There is now a warning that it has been bowdlerized, so the only further step would be to have the moderators delete the thread for violating the guidelines that don't exist for offenses that only offend a small subset of the membership. Seems rather draconian.

What MobileRead content will fall under the censors next?

[doubleshuffle]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

@Araucaria, if we have learned nothing else from this thread, at least we should put a notice to the effect that that has been done. PM the corrections to crich70, or just post it to the thread. Either way, I am sure he will get it and be happy to use your fixes.

Especially the one with the "talking sweet nothings" instead of "making love" - utterly brilliant and so much more poetic than the original. I'm sure not only Zane Grey can be improved that way. Why not make that our mission and start the Mobileread Editions Library Of Radically Improved Books?

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by doubleshuffle

Especially the one with the "talking sweet nothings" instead of "making love" - utterly brilliant and so much more poetic than the original. I'm sure not only Zane Grey can be improved that way. Why not make that our mission and start the Mobileread Editions Library Of Radically Improved Books?

I must admit, that particular language has me scared more than the original.

[Billi]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Well, I'm not the one acting like a kindergartener. The moderators say they've been deleting posts because of insults. None of my posts have been deleted; I'm not the one throwing sand in the sandbox.

I am afraid we haven't deserved anything better for posting in this thread at all. Thanks, mods, for your great sensitivity.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

There is now a warning that it has been bowdlerized, so the only further step would be to have the moderators delete the thread for violating the guidelines that don't exist for offenses that only offend a small subset of the membership. Seems rather draconian.

What MobileRead content will fall under the censors next?

I think I'm in Alice's Looking-Glass World now.

Where else would I be accused of advocating censorship for objecting to bowdlerization?

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Catlady

I think I'm in Alice's Looking-Glass World now.

Where else would I be accused of advocating censorship for objecting to bowdlerization?

If your response to bowdlerization is censorship "To Preserve The One True Word", then yes.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

If your response to bowdlerization is censorship "To Preserve The One True Word", then yes.

My response to bowdlerization is to want a return to the original text.