LibriVox Forum

annise wrote:

They can edit the recording too and just as easily remove the disclaimer.

It was originally done after legal advice was sought , it won't change because of this thread . There are a very few non negotiable things here - this is one

Anne

Ah, alright.

carolb wrote:I've had a quick look at your profile, BrassRhino, and see that you have concentrated on Dramatic Works.

Perhaps one of our lovely admins can tell you how many DWs there are for you to listen to without all those disclaimers that upset you so much!

Carol

I don't understand what you mean... within LV?

BrassRhino wrote:

annise wrote:
No. Anyone can add it to the metadata anytime

Anne

They can edit the recording too and just as easily remove the disclaimer.

And since the recordings are in the public domain, they are perfectly within their legal rights to do so (it's also possible to tell itunes to start the recording at a particular point, say 30 seconds in, without having to edit the file).

gypsygirl wrote: (it's also possible to tell itunes to start the recording at a particular point, say 30 seconds in, without having to edit the file).

Eh, Android user here, so no iTunes for me. I may make a script to cut off the first 30 seconds, or to look for the first gap of 2+ seconds after the sound starts and cut it off there.

BrassRhino wrote:

annise wrote:
No. Anyone can add it to the metadata anytime

Anne

They can edit the recording too and just as easily remove the disclaimer.

I think you've come up with a solution for yourself.

Download (from LV/Archive) -> edit -> (optional) combine short chapters -> save -> play from your local (edited) version.

ETA: Oops, someone already mentioned using this method.

Don

Clearly the audio attribution *is* needed, your lawyers are right: because so many other sites re-package these recordings. One of the more popular (from Google searches) for example is loyalbooks.com http://www.loyalbooks.com/book/the-art-of-war-by-sun-tzu. There only mention of Librivox is in their About notice, not visible at all. They make money via advertising, I guess they do add some value added by providing nice illustrations etc.

Personally I'd prefer if LibriVox itself allowed limited advertising (from Audible.com and Amazon for instance) and used the proceeds to enhance the interface. Of course I block most advertising with adblock anyway ...

I tend to regard the omnipresent disclaimer as the modern equivalent of "This audiobook continues on the B side of the cassette". Ain't no thing.

Showing my age much, do you reckon?

(Removed by its author).

at librivox, the readers are in the center, not the listeners. this is a fact that wont be changed by your differing opinion. see hugh's statements in the faqs.

also, i dont see how it is negative that people are uploading our recordings to youtube? clearly the people doing this think that the recordings they upload are really good and they are doing the public a service. you can easily get out of any video you dont like by clicking the red x on the top right corner of your browser window.

that said, i hope that as soon as you have familiarized yourself with our reasons for the disclaimer, you will think differently about this and we can welcome you on some projects as a reader

DonaldMiller wrote:No! The aim of Librivox is NOT so that the people who run it can have fun making recordings. The purpose of Librivox is to make recordings that people wish to hear, due to their quality and the professional attitude that goes into making a GOOD product FOR the listener!

You can have whatever goal you want to have, but Librivox's goal has always been "to make all books in the public domain available, for free, in audio format on the internet." While it's nice if someone listens to it - that is not part of what we are trying to do here...

on another note: noone is forcing you to listen to our recordings... you choose to listen to them by NOT closing youtube as soon as you realize it's a librivox recording (which due to the disclaimer is about 10 seconds in...) - we are not standing next to you with a gun to your head...

btw. not sure how many audiobooks avaiable on youtube and NOT from librivox are actually legal to listen to... there's a lot of copyrighted stuff there...

Welcome Donald Miller!

On page 1 of this thread I wrote: I see you have been here a matter of weeks, and find it 'interesting' (I wouldn't dream of saying pretty annoying) how sometimes people come along and almost immediately start criticizing the way things are done here.
Congratulations - it only took you 3 days

Carol

DonaldMiller wrote:No! The aim of Librivox is NOT so that the people who run it can have fun making recordings. The purpose of Librivox is to make recordings that people wish to hear, due to their quality and the professional attitude that goes into making a GOOD product FOR the listener!

I'm not sure where you got that idea from. I'm here at LV exactly because it's fun making recordings (of books I enjoy). I frankly don't care if nobody else listens to them, or that they may not be professional quality. I'm here because it's fun and it's how I like to enjoy some of my free time. It's a bonus if others also enjoy them.

(Removed by its author).

My recordings don't sound like the perfect professional voice at all, and I know that and am perfectly OK with that. But for me it's kind of like joining a drama group or any other kind of group that has a purpose. I'm not the best actress, and I don't make people turn to look at everything I do because most of it's just normal quality. I enjoy doing it though, and this gives me a way to share a book I like with someone who may not have heard it before. It lets me laugh with whoever's working with me on a project over the funny parts and be sad over the sad parts. No one may like what I do or even listen to it--but I have fun. If someone likes it, great! If not--I had fun anyway. And if it comes with a bit of something I don't care for (such as saying the disclaimer every time), I just figure everything has something disagreeable. I decide to concentrate on the rest of the ointment instead of the fly. (On the subject of the disclaimer specifically, I've pretty much memorized the normal one, and so I try to see how fast I can read it without making it non-understandable.) Anyway it's a lot of fun and I hope you find something fun to read too! [Note: I think of the disclaimer like the copyright information in a book. I generally skip the copyright, title page, and foreword/introduction. Listening to it gives me time to adjust my headphone volume without missing part of the story.]

DonaldMiller wrote:I stand by what I said completely. It matters not how long I have been a member. As a member, I can comment on whatever posts I'd like.

I respect those who contribute their time to read. I do as much as I can myself and read, thus trying to earn respect (be it only from my own self).
I respect those who contribute their time to proof-listen and to coordinate group efforts. Without them I couldn't participate as much as I do.
I respect those who contribute their time to keep the site running. Without them there would be no place for us to work, to meet, to contribute.
I have no particular fondness for those who use their time entirely to consume and then to criticize the quality of the products they consume. None.

I doesn't matter how long you have been a member. It matters a whole lot what you've done with the time, though.