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<p align="center"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">OPLIN 4cast #24 -
October 3, 2006</span></b></p>
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<p>The <em><b>OPLIN 4cast</b></em> is a weekly compilation of
recent headlines, topics, and trends that could impact public
libraries. You can subscribe to it in a variety of ways, such as:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>RSS feed</strong>. You can receive the <em>OPLIN
4cast</em> via RSS feed by subscribing to the following URL: <a
href="http://www.oplin.org/4cast/index.php/?feed=rss2">http://www.oplin.org/4cast/index.php/?feed=rss2</a>.</li>
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the <em>4cast</em> website (<a href="http://www.oplin.org/4cast/">http://www.oplin.org/4cast/</a>)
and click on the orange "radio wave" icon on the right side of the
address bar. </li>
<li><strong>E-mail</strong>. You can have the <em>OPLIN 4cast</em>
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<p class="style4">This week’s <em>4cast</em><b>:</b></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">1. <b><strong>British Library Warns
of Emerging Copyright Crisis </strong></b></span> </p>
<blockquote>
<p>The DRM and copyright battles are heating up on both sides of the
Atlantic. The British Library has published a manifesto questioning
current copyright law as it relates to digital content, and warning
about the dire effect that overly zealous copyright protection will
have on fair use priviledges - for education, preservation, and
scholarly efforts in general.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.bl.uk/news/pdf/ipmanifesto.pdf"
target="_blank">Intellectual Property: A Balance</a> (The British
Library Manifesto - PDF) </li>
<li><a href="http://news.com.com/2100-1025_3-6119043.html"
target="_blank">British Library calls for digital copyright action</a>
(CNET)</li>
<li><a
href="http://www.boingboing.net/2006/09/29/british_library_coun.html"
target="_blank">British Library, Council take on Creative Commons and
DRM</a> (Boing Boing) </li>
<li><a
href="http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/learning.now/2006/09/fair_use_has_a_posse.html"
target="_blank">Fair Use Has a Posse</a> (Learning.now) </li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">2. <b><strong>Microsoft Defends Its
Office </strong></b></span></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Lots of different companies have been challenging Microsoft's
supremacy in the productivity software realm by releasing MS
Office-like utilities as free, online applications. With the recent
release of <a href="https://www.google.com/a/" target="_blank">Google
Apps For Your Domain</a>, it looks like Microsoft may finally be
awaking from its slumber.</p>
<ul>
<li><a
href="http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=internetNews&storyID=2006-09-22T010709Z_01_N21422270_RTRUKOC_0_US-MICROSOFT-WORKS.xml"
target="_blank">Microsoft mulls free Web-based business software</a>
(Reuters)</li>
<li><a
href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/microsoft_plans_web-based_works_suite.php"
target="_blank">Microsoft Plans Web-based Works Suite - Including Word
Processing And Spreadsheets</a> (Read/WriteWeb) </li>
<li><a
href="http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=18053&hed=17+MS+Office+Killers"
target="_blank">17 MS Office Killers</a> (Red Herring)</li>
<li><a
href="http://www.librarycrunch.com/2006/09/the_evolution_of_online_office.html"
target="_blank">The Evolution of Online Office Applications</a>
(LibraryCrunch)</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">3. <b><strong><b><strong><b><strong><b><strong><b><strong><b><strong><b><strong><b><strong>Surf's
Up on Cellphones </strong></b></strong></b></strong></b></strong></b></strong></b></strong></b></strong></b></strong></b></span></p>
<blockquote>
<p>A <a href="http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=6628"
target="_blank">recent report</a> estimates that the total number of
cellular connections in the world has topped 2.5 billion, and more
people are using their cellphones to access the Internet. Although the
".mobi" domain extension went live last week, a more fundamental
problem exists - how to make already-existing content and
image-intensive websites work on a tiny, handheld device? </p>
<ul>
<li><a
href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/25/AR2006072501517.html"
target="_blank">Rewriting the Web for Mobile Phones</a> (Washington
Post) </li>
<li><a
href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/29/dave-winer-ponders-mobile/"
target="_blank">Dave Winer Ponders Mobile</a> (TechCrunch)</li>
<li><a href="http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1035_22-6120263.html"
target="_blank">Analysts question the point of dot-mobi</a> (ZDNet)</li>
<li><a
href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6097216"
target="_blank">GPS Is Smartening Up Your Cell Phone</a> (NPR) </li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">4.<b><strong><b><strong> Sony Unveils
Its E-book Reader </strong></b></strong></b></span></p>
<blockquote>
<p>After a considerable amount of hype, the <a
href="http://www.learningcenter.sony.us/assets/pa/prs/index.html"
target="_blank">Sony Reader</a> has finally been released... to so-so
reviews from both publishers and users.</p>
<ul>
<li><a
href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060927-7848.html"
target="_blank">Sony e-book reader to ship next week, but does anybody
want it?</a> (Ars Technica)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.teleread.org/blog/?p=5599" target="_blank">'Sony
Reader: Nice, but no iPod,' Publishers Weekly reports</a> (TeleRead:
Bring the E-Books Home)</li>
<li><a
href="http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=7273"
target="_blank">Sony Reader questions answered by Sony Reader Team</a>
(MobileRead Networks) </li>
<li><a href="http://www.leanleft.com/archives/2006/09/29/5707/"
target="_blank">Sony Reader: So close...</a> (Lean Left)</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
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<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Joel Husenits
Managing Editor
Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN)
2323 W. 5th Avenue, Suite 130
Columbus, Ohio 43204
Phone: (614) 728-5252
Fax: (614) 728-5256
E-mail: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:editor@oplin.org">editor@oplin.org</a>
Web: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.oplin.org">www.oplin.org</a></pre>
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