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"Think about Aaron Swartz, and now realize the balls and execution it took for Larry and Sergey to do Google Books." This thread is about Aaron. But please do

"Think about Aaron Swartz, and now realize the balls and execution it took for Larry and Sergey to do Google Books." This thread is about Aaron. But please do not tie the two cases together; at best Google (making $10 Billion a year in profit) scanned the books so they could wrap their content with ads. At worst.... Why didn't Google open source the scans if they wanted to "spread knowledge"?

Karunamon 14y ago
His point still rings true - even if Aaron was in it for the free exchange of information and Google was in it for the ad revenue, it's a foregone fact in the USA that the justice you receive is proportional to nothing but your cash reserves.
- OGinparadise 14y ago
  His other point is true but the facts are different. If Aaron had gone to the library, scanned 10 books and posted them online it would be different. Maybe a DCMA or a lawsuit. Aaron was accused of breaking into MIT and a few other things. It's just a bad comparison on all levels IMO. But yeah, having billions at your disposal and a great reputation can do wonders. The Feds cannot outspend you and they it's very hard to vilify you
  - pygy_ 14y ago
    > Aaron was accused of breaking into MIT ... Spurrious accusation, all doors were open. Did you read this article? http://unhandled.com/2013/01/12/the-truth-about-aaron-swartzs-crime/ http://unhandled.com/2013/01/12/the-truth-about-aaron-swartz...
    - Karunamon 14y ago
      >Spurrious accusation, all doors were open. The crime of breaking and entering doesn't require you to defeat physical security.. even pushing open a closed (yet unlocked) door is enough. I agree that the accusation is utter crap, but that's the law.
temphn 14y ago
Because they were already being sued by the authors of the books and couldn't push it any further? Google Books offers many out-of-print books and is very much in the spirit of what Aaron was doing.
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]

Karunamon 14y ago

His point still rings true - even if Aaron was in it for the free exchange of information and Google was in it for the ad revenue, it's a foregone fact in the USA that the justice you receive is proportional to nothing but your cash reserves.

OGinparadise 14y ago
His other point is true but the facts are different. If Aaron had gone to the library, scanned 10 books and posted them online it would be different. Maybe a DCMA or a lawsuit. Aaron was accused of breaking into MIT and a few other things. It's just a bad comparison on all levels IMO. But yeah, having billions at your disposal and a great reputation can do wonders. The Feds cannot outspend you and they it's very hard to vilify you
- pygy_ 14y ago
  > Aaron was accused of breaking into MIT ... Spurrious accusation, all doors were open. Did you read this article? http://unhandled.com/2013/01/12/the-truth-about-aaron-swartzs-crime/ http://unhandled.com/2013/01/12/the-truth-about-aaron-swartz...
  - Karunamon 14y ago
    >Spurrious accusation, all doors were open. The crime of breaking and entering doesn't require you to defeat physical security.. even pushing open a closed (yet unlocked) door is enough. I agree that the accusation is utter crap, but that's the law.

temphn 14y ago

Because they were already being sued by the authors of the books and couldn't push it any further? Google Books offers many out-of-print books and is very much in the spirit of what Aaron was doing.

deleted 14y ago
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