Open Book Alliance formed against Google

"Trying to monopolise the library system" says opponents

21 August 2009 20:38 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Amazon, Microsoft and Yahoo are to go up against Google in an attempt to stop the search engine company creating the largest virtual library.

According to the BBC, the three companies oppose a legal settlement that could make Google the main source for many online works.

The alliance will go up against Google's recent $125 million settlement deal with book publishers and authors

"Google is trying to monopolise the library system," the Internet Archive's founder Brewster Kahle told BBC News. "If this deal goes ahead, they're making a real shot at being 'the' library and the only library."

The non-profit Internet Archive, which also hosts web archiving service WayBack Machine, has long criticised the agreement.

It has digitized over half a million books. All of which are offered for free.

The move has gained extra gravitas as more and more companies start to launch ebooks allowing people to read their favourite novels digitally.

Via: news.bbc.co.uk

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Gadgets, ebooks, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Open Book Alliance