A New Digital Library of Alexandria: Mark II June 14, 2012
Posted by Beachcombing in : Actualite
When Beach was a strapping young man he had heart-felt, thought-out views on everything from abortion to zoophilia. By now in very advanced middle age there are only a couple of things that really get him going: and one of these is the digitalisation of humanity’s books; the possibility, in short, of making all knowledge [...]
The Decline of the Public Domain January 30, 2012
Posted by Beachcombing in : Actualite
***Dedicated to Dr Ricardo R*** Beachcombing, like many aging ideologues, can no longer bring himself to care about things that used to give his teenage self heartburn. But, there are a few exceptions – identity cards, Brussels delenda est, reptile road-crossing tunnels… – that buzz him into life. Not least among these and particularly associated [...]
E Publishing Opportunism October 29, 2011
Posted by Beachcombing in : Actualite
***This post is dedicated to Ricardo*** Beach has noted before in this place the extraordinary world of digital books which has opened up in the last few years. He has argued fiercely (though it is certainly a lost battle) that Google are villains and that www.archive.org should be showered with Nobel peace prizes and chocolate [...]
Google Burns the Library at Alexandria May 28, 2011
Posted by Beachcombing in : Actualite
**The pages published here are typically historical ephemera written for fun. This present post matters, however. Please circulate** Imagine a visit to the universal library: a building in which all books, manuscripts, scrolls, rolls and tablets from all civilisations and all ages have been placed next to each other on shelves running for tens and [...]
