Janet Kaiser on wed 17 may 00
Just to set the record straight, I have been chuntering on about =
articles published in the press, especially specialist magazines. At no =
time was I advocating free net access to entire books either in or out =
of print.
When one really looks objectively at articles in magazines, what do you =
really get from them? What is the main content? Leaf through some and =
decide for yourself. I would be interested to know what is so =
earth-shattering and new, that they are worthy of "locking up" in =
copyright and not sharing further? Is there ever truly original material =
in a magazine?
I strikes me that a great many articles are "recycled". It could be lazy =
journalism, or playing safe by the publisher, but in many cases, it is =
just old content being revamped for the poor suckers who pay for it. And =
before the authors start screaming, let me point out this is a two-way =
deal... I am one of those poor suckers, who gets rather fed up with both =
publishers and authors thinking we are too dense to notice. After almost =
30 years of experience as a reader, to be truthful:
Many are 100% promotional: either the work, the maker, a book or an =
exhibition. The readership is effectively paying for someone's =
advertising in the guise of an editorial or article.
The recipes and techniques are known, used and available elsewhere. As =
this group agrees, there is no big deal on sharing a recipe. What works =
well for one potter will be anything from OK to disappointing to =
catastrophic to another. Technique? Well, I have never seen a new one =
that has not already been well documented and/or used and taught =
elsewhere. Interesting applications of a technique, yes, but few are =
going to run out and start working in a different way just because the =
article has been in a magazine article.
One exciting exception was paper clay... But that is a perfect example =
of how once something is published, there is no control on future use. =
How many can name the person who first introduced the process?
Articles on safety... Surely information in this category should be =
shouted out and no kept secret? Only available to people who buy the =
magazine in question? Come on! The whole point of publishing is to pass =
on information. It should not be an ego trip or vehicle of =
self-promotion just for the author. The readership is just as important =
and an article is there to educate and inform it. Why publish, if =
sharing knowledge is not the reason?
Anyone who says that publishing information of any kind on the internet, =
will put the whole publishing industry out of business is being naive. =
Firstly not all the world has or will ever have internet access. =
Secondly, however good the web site, a real magazine to prop up with in =
bed or in the workshop is always going to be preferable. Thirdly, a good =
e-archive is going to be a wonderful marketing tool. Most people buy =
and/or subscribe on recommendation or experience. How am I going to see =
how good a publication really is, if I do not have the opportunity of =
skimming through a few copies? It could mean I find a low budget =
magazine published in Anatolia far superior content-wise to one from a =
western country with all the advert and sponsor $$ in the world.
In the case of Ceramic Review, it is published by a potters' =
association. Does this mean only association members and subscribers are =
welcome to the material? Is it not supposed to be a way of educating =
others? In a spirit of sharing? Are commercial considerations the only =
ones to be promoted?
Finally, surely once an article is published, it becomes public =
property? Neither author nor publisher has the power to repress it. They =
could, however, facilitate sharing beyond the immediate readership who =
can currently afford to pay hard cash for being the privileged few. They =
should remember the poor student or maker who can only access articles =
via a university computer or friend's PC, will remain a reader and =
become a paying user as soon as they can afford it.
I am not aware of the number of subscribers/members of National =
Geographic falling since they launched their web site. On the contrary, =
they have found new audiences through their site and are fulfilling =
their remit even more than before.=20
Janet Kaiser
To remind those doubting Thomas's of what I actually said and not what =
they thought I said, please see below.
Sent 14-May-2000
Thanks Jan. It is most thoughtful of you to post the article. It is so
frustrating hearing people discussing articles of which there is no =
general
access to outside the country they are published.
I realise this is a newspaper article but magazines are just as bad, if =
not
worse. In theory we can subscribe to publications around the world, but =
who
has the necessary $$ for that?
I can only afford two subscriptions at any one time. I chose Ceramic =
Review
and Crafts. If I could afford it, Ceramics Monthly (US), Studio Ceramics
(UK), Neue Keramik (Germany), Ceramic Art and Perception (Australia) and =
the
Greek publication (forget name) would be first on my list.
I for one am really disappointed in the internet age so far. If it was a
perfect world, there would be a library of articles from each =
publication,
that one could read at leisure once they have disappeared from the book
shelves. They could be promoted and sponsored by advertisers in the =
usual
way so they would not loose their audiences either. Indeed, they would =
get
"enhanced" readerships.
Relatively few potters world-wide have internet access, so the sales of =
real
magazines would not be affected...
And there would not be the worry of breaching copyright for individuals
reporting on articles. I think of the difficulty I had on sending the =
Lime
Popping article in CPA News to everyone last year. It was not possible =
then.
because I could not contact and get written permission off the five or =
six
people involved as well as the editor and CPA...
I hope the publishers will start to archive all articles of a year or =
older
one day soon. It would be a wonderful service.
Janet Kaiser
Sent 15-May-2000:
I have been told on good authority, that copyright law covers all =
articles for 70 years. Publishers are currently working to extend this =
and there is a fight going on to prevent them from doing so. I believe =
the Harvard School of Law has something to do with it and there is an =
on-line discussion going on in the US (sorry, have no details). They are =
using the "freedom of information" ticket.
If we have to wait 70 years for ceramic articles being published now, or =
another 20 years for those published in 1950... Well, perhaps we should =
start collectively and individually asking publishers of magazines to =
change their policies? Books are another matter, but something as =
ephemeral as magazines could possibly be convinced it is time to move =
with current trends?
=20
As someone has pointed out to me today, it is really mean-spirited not =
to provide this service:
=20
>>I perceive their publishing ethic as being very mean spirited Janet. I =
wish
someone like yourself would enrage a campaign to shift all this stuff =
onto
the net and open it all up in the interests of education. I think if one
magazine can be persuaded to take this step, then the rest would surely
follow.
=20
(The writer is apparently a little to near one source for comfort, so I =
will respect confidentiality here).
=20
Would publishing on the web not be just a similar exercise to =
photocopying? Just global? And as the above person said, there would =
probably be loads of volunteers to do the donkey work to make it =
possible.
As I seem to have a knack of "enraging" people (however innocently) =
perhaps this little bit of stirring could have some positive results? =
How about making a list of targets and using our concerted powers? You =
never know, there may be a chance of changing attitudes...
Janet Kaiser
The Chapel of Art
Sent 16-May-2000:
Thanks DeBorah, Ned L. and others for the information about on-line NY
Times.
Isn't it perverse that you can read the current edition on-line (free) =
and
therefore (in theory) denying them of a sale, but have to pay for =
anything
more than 24 hours old? In other words, you pay for what is in the =
garbage
or wrapping up pots.
Even then it is pay first, read later. $2.50 is an awful lot for one
article... Especially if you are paying from outside the $ economy. I =
bet
bank charges would increase the fee to $5 (minimum).
I call the whole thing a rip-off! Unless the author is getting extra... =
And
if you believe that...
I am young, beautiful and the best thing since sliced bread :-)
Janet Kaiser
The Chapel of Art, Criccieth LL52 0EA, GB-Wales
Home of The International Potters Path
TEL: (01766) 523570
WEB: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
EMAIL: postbox@the-coa.org.uk
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