Hi al.
Bookshare has the same problem as the library of congress, namely that it is
not accessible to those living outside the Us, I remember having to beg,
grovel, and finally ring Washington Dc from england to persuade the library
of congress to send me books by specific authors that wren't available over
here, ---- a long and corporate process which was in no way fun, especially
sinse for some odd reason only a limited amount of stuff could be sent
overseas. I've mentioned how bad the accesible literature bit in the Uk is
on list before so won't go on about it more, but suffice it to say that
these days my respect for the laws of copywrite as they apply to literature
are pretty much zero, and will continue to be so until it's possible for a
visually impared person to obtain unabridged books at the same availability
and price as a sighted person pays.
In fact, when I've got down to creative writing and if I ever publish a work
myself, one of the specifications! will be that the book must ave accessible
copies produced for visually impared users at no extra charge.
Beware the Grue!
Dark.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Allan Thompson" <[email protected]>
To: "Gamers Discussion list" <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2012 10:46 PM
Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Redistributing RPG Source Books
I think I have to agree with you Dark. I think there should be accessible
formats for the blind, especially print stuff including rpg books.
Bookshare does a good job of it, so I don't see why wotc couldn't do
something similar if it is so nervous about electronic format.
My two cents I suppose.
al
"The truth will set you free"
Jesus Christ of Nazareth 33A.D.
----- Original Message -----
From: dark
To: Gamers Discussion list
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2012 4:01 PM
Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Redistributing RPG Source Books
Hi Tom.
personally I'm of the opinion that after 20 years of trying to get
accessible rp books, fantasy literature etc and being repeatedly stone
walled on the issue, copywrite can kiss my rear end!
In around the year 2000 I bought a cd which contained word documents of
all
the old D&D 2nd edition books in order to start tabletop rping, however
of
course once I started i found that 3rd edition had replaced 2nd. I then
wrote a letter to wizards of the coast asking if they sold any accessible
versions of the D&D 3rd ed books, explaining that I was a blind person
and
so couldn't read their printed copies.
Their entire response was as follows:
"Dear Mr. Hewitt.
We have no plans at this time or in the future of producing electronic
copies of our works. Thank you for your interest. yours sincerely etc
etc"
Well, thanks a Heap! I therefore had to muddle along somewhat cadging
rules
from the Gm, which wasn't too much fun.
Luckily, drivethru rpg now sell a lot of books in pdf form which mostly
convert to text, so I have several source books for games. If however
they
aren't available there or in any other accessible form, my feeling these
days is that I have no respect for a law which does nothing but promote
corporate interest and money grabbing stupidity over any sort of fair
access.
So, myself I suggest you just stick them on the site anyway. You could
protect your back slightly by having them available only on request when
someone mails you (perhaps have a page about the group and a mail for
more
information type of link where you send the books), or having a specific
access related password to the archive which you send out by mail on
request, thus insuring that not just anybody can come along and grab
them.
However if they aren't as equally available to visually impared people as
anyone else, then you have every right to redistribute them.
I would however suggest you check drivethrurpg first, just in case they
are!
available as pdfs.
All the best,
DArk.
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