— Musings —06.09.2011 02:36 PM
— Musings —06.09.2011 02:36 PM
Well, compilations of wiki material into books is not an uncommon phenomena. Dino-related stuff is one subject that springs to mind. Here’s a guy bitching about how some of the content he did for wiki appeared in this kind of instabook:
http://dml.cmnh.org/cgi-bin/search.cgi?q=wikipedia+copyright
Can’t see there being a book’s worth of material ABOUT you on wiki, though. And I don’t think you CONTRIBUTE material.
Me neither. So they sell the book to you, which is just a print out of a few pages from the Internet? You and I should start such a business. We can call it Computer and Xerox Machine, Inc.
Xerox would nail you for TM infringement.
Here, incidentally, is the wiki page on the publisher. They solicit free content from “non-notable” authors on whatever topic they’re covering. Bet you there’s a lawsuit or two sitting inside that book.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VDM_Publishing
They sound like dirtbags
In their defence, they published my M.A. thesis into a book. They send out emails to probably every graduate student once the theses get deposited at Library & Archives Canada and their researchers come across them. They were very nice and easy to deal with. But I guess that’s coming from the perspective of an otherwise “non-notable” author. LOL
I’m less notable than you!
I dunno, maaaan, I’ve been reading Kicking Ass… for many, many moons now. Just about all of the Liberals on campus back in Kelowna were reading it when I was there.
That does not bode well for Kelowna’s future, my friend.
What the hell is that?!?
also weird is the provincial NDP announcing a *weekly* price cap on gas.
If nothing else they have stolen your biographical notes – without your permission. Sounds like a cease and desist letter might be in order. You must have a template for that.
What is especially odd, is that when the reader opens the book, the inside pages are simply a hackneyed summary of “Confessions of a Shopaholic”. I got totally ripped off! I hold you responsible, Warren.
I’ll wait for the movie.
So did you buy one?
Not a chance. The subject matter bores me.
You need one. It will be used for opposition research when you run, so you need to know what’s in it. Sorry, but you’re a (potential) candidate now. You can’t ignore the subject, even if it is boring…
Did you find that when checking out “A Visit From The Goon Squad”?:-)
I did! I ordered it after you suggested it, and then I checked to see if they still were selling my books (they were). And then I saw they were selling a book about me.
Wat to mess up my afternoon, Jen.
Sorry, dude. But I think you’ll like the book.
50 bucks!
I wouldn’t pay a cent more than $29.99 to read your drivel.
You either pissed someone off or it’s just great publicity, Warren.
@Richard. VDM offered to publish my MA thesis too, and the seem to have resurfaced with a different name. I checked with a professor friend and he advised against for a number of reasons. But I know people who have used them and had an experience similar to you. For some, it a good way to get an ISBN number and see their hard work come to life.
I still get emails from them to this day. I’m not sure how they make their money. They wouldn’t sell more than one or two copies of my work…