[alt.hypertext] ANNOUNCEMENT: THE OPEN BOOK INITIATIVE

bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) (11/01/89)

			     ANNOUNCEMENT

		       THE OPEN BOOK INITIATIVE



The Open Book Initiative is being formed to make available freely
redistributable collections of information. There exists huge
collections of books, conference proceedings, reference material,
catalogues, etc. which can be freely shared. Some of it is in
machine-readable form, much of it isn't.

The purpose of the Open Book Initiative is to create a publicly
accessible repository for this information, a net-worker's library.

Information in the Open Book Repository will be available for free
redistribution. On-line access, magnetic media and other methods of
distribution will involve reasonable charges for the services
provided, not the information.

WHAT WE WISH TO ARCHIVE

	All on-line materials (other than software collections)
	such as books, journals, catalogues, conference proceedings,
	magazines, manuals, maps, images, technical documentation,
	reference works, etc. The only software we are interested in
	is software specific to the viewing, manipulation, searching
	and maintenance of information in the repository.

	Materials must be free of copyrights limiting redistribution
	by us or any individual or organization who receives them. A
	copyright ensuring their continued freedom will be assigned
	to all materials distributed.

	We also need pointers to collections of materials which may
	be available. For example, there are government collections
	of interesting data which are available at reasonable costs
	and do not limit further redistribution of copies obtained. 

WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU

	Beyond machine-readable material there are huge collections
	of printed material which could be redistributed if put
	on-line. We need people willing to organize informal projects
	to scan, type or otherwise get this material on-line for
	inclusion in the Open Book Repository.

	We need to get in touch with Library and Information Scientists
	interested in helping us create formats and structures for organizing
	the repository.

	We need international participation to help ensure our efforts
	are useful to people everywhere.

	We need people willing to participate in a Technical Advisory
	Board to help us guide our efforts.

	We need involvement from academia, industry and governments to
	help us enrich this effort without bounds and make available
	a first-rate, freely available information utility.

	We need involvement from publishers who have materials which
	can be included in the Open Book Repository. Many books and
	reference works become unprofitable to publish by ordinary
	paper means. It's time to make these materials available!

	We need involvement from the technical community to choose
	and implement multi-media software standards such as hypertext,
	mark-up languages, index and catalogue software, text retrieval,
	network access methods and more. Standards are critical to our
	efforts.

WHAT WE ARE OFFERING

	WORLD.STD.COM is a public access UNIX system which will
	serve as the initial repository. It is a Sun4/280 system
	and will be expanded as needed.

	Anyone can dial into the system and set up an account if
	they wish direct access (617-739-WRLD.) Accounts are
	charged and proceeds will be used to build the Open Book
	Repository.

	UUCP and other links will be available for the redistribution
	of collections. We will also make collections available on
	magnetic media for reasonable copying charges.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

	If you think you can help or want more information send
	electronic mail to:

			  obi@world.std.com

	Or call us at Software Tool & Die, 617-739-0202.
	Or drop by our office and chat if you're in the
	area: 1330 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA 02146.

POSTSCRIPT

	This started as an informal discussion group which called
	themselves "The KiloMonkeys Project" (``Strong Typing For
	Weak Minds'') who wanted to figure out how to get useful
	materials on-line and generally available. I have decided
	to make Software Tool & Die a home for this activity and
	formalize the project under the new name "The Open Book
	Initiative."
-- 
        -Barry Shein

Software Tool & Die, Purveyors to the Trade         | bzs@world.std.com
1330 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02146, (617) 739-0202 | {xylogics,uunet}world!bzs