Convert Lit is a program that allows you to convert unincrypted or incrypted
Microsoft ebooks with a screen reader or Braille display, once the
conversion is done, of course. To obtain it, goto www.convertlit.com. As I
mentioned in a previous email, it may be illegal to circumvent incryption
technology, even for fair use purposes, depending on your country of
residence. It is legal, at least for the next two or three years, for blind
people in the U.S. to circumvent this technology if they can not read books
in their secure form with assistive technology, as you can see by typing in
DMCA blind Librarian of Congress into Google. You can use the Convert Lit
program either in console mode (DOS), or via a GUI front-end program that,
according to Jonathan Mosen, is accessible. Now if there was only a way to
allow those locked out of using Amazon.com or Powells.com, not to mention
Bookshare, to take advantage of such retailers and distributors and that it
was legal for them to do so. While I am not advocating anyone breaking the
law outside of the U.S., I would surmise that as long as you have
legitimately purchased a title, decrypted it, and are reading it for your
own personal use and not sharing it on newsgroups or file sharing programs
or emailing it to everyone you know, lawyers won't be sending you cease and
desist notices or taking you to court.
Regards,
Chad
----- Original Message -----
From: "richard Van Driel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Braillenote List" <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, September 26, 2004 3:32 PM
Subject: Re: [Braillenote] some info on getting books in web
brailleforbnusers
Hi Chad,
What is this converting thing on the internet?
What's the address and how do I get it?
Write me offlist if this might be crowding the list.
Thanks
Richard
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chad Fenton" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: "Braillenote List" <[email protected]
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2004 10:18:48 -0400
Subject: Re: [Braillenote] some info on getting books in web
brailleforbnusers
Actually, in my case, some of my books are ones I've scanned, and others
are
commercial ones I've bought through Amazon.com or Powells.com in Microsoft
Lit format and used the Convert Lit program available on the Internet to
convert them to Html so I can read them. of course, you could then
convert
them into Braille, a text file, a Word document, or whatever format you
choose. As the result of a decision made by the Librarian of Congress in
late 2003, this is perfectly legal, as the law has been changed to allow
visually impaired people in the U.S. to circumvent incryption technology
of
proprietary formats in order to read the book if it is not possible for
them
to do so with a screen reader or other assistive technology.
Just thought I'd make you aware of this, provided it is legal for you to
do
so in your country of residence. This ruling has allowed me to obtain new
books within a day they are released in hardcover form, rather than having
to wait months to years before they are available in talking book format,
Braille, etc.
Regards,
Chad
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tina Birnenbaum" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: "Braillenote List" <[email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2004 10:05 PM
Subject: Re: [Braillenote] some info on getting books in web
brailleforbnusers
Hi and yes that hmakes sense and good to know they are converting things
to
tape as ell as braille i didn't know that before.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Laura Wolk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: "Braillenote List" <[email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2004 1:41 PM
Subject: Re: [Braillenote] some info on getting books in web braille
forbnusers
Tina,
The reason you are geting items produced by other companies than NLS in
any
format is because by default, the search terms are set so that the
database
will search multiple companies and every format. This is because this
search
tool is utilized by many many users who do not have access to web
braille,
and are searching the catalog for books on tape, hardcopy braille, etc
etc.
NLS produces all new braille books in both hardcopy and electronic
forms,
and they are continually working on converting their back catalog to
electronic braille. However, their back catalog is also quite large,
so
we
must be patient and give them some time to do this. However, it does
make
sense that they keep the option available to search for multiple
formats
and
multiple companies. Otherwise, they would be cutting off a large
portion
of
their user base. I see you have already received the info on how to
limit
your search to only web braille books, so hopefully you will not
encounter
this problem again. HTH, Laura
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tina Birnenbaum" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: <[email protected]
Sent: Sunday, September 19, 2004 2:30 AM
Subject: [Braillenote] some info on getting books in web braille for
bnusers
I was looking online just now at books and was on web braille for a
while
and noticed that some books are just on tape, some just in braille and
others both. I would like to read some in braille since I can just
put
thehm
on the bn so, does anyone know if I'm just missing something or do
they
purposely produce things that way? I kept thihnking as I searched that
with
the web, they could probably put everything in braille that is out
there
especuially for users like us with braille displays. I'm trying to
find
convenient ways to go online and get books I want to read that nls
doesn't
offer and was jumping between a couple sites looking around at some
things
and was just wondering about the braille for anyone who might know.
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