Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2002 20:19:58 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Keith F. Lynch" <kfl at KeithLynch.net>
To: WSFAList at KeithLynch.net
Subject: [WSFA] Penquins, Baen Free Library
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

"Michael Walsh" <MJW at mail.press.jhu.edu> wrote:
> I guess it was bound to happen . . .
> http://penguicon.sourceforge.net/

They had a room party at ConJose.

I've never understood why Linux gets all the publicity as "the"
alternative to Microsoft operating systems.  There are plenty of
others.  For instance I have NetBSD and OpenVMS at home.

"Barry L. Newton" <bnewton at ashcomp.com> wrote:
> I stumbled onto this looking at Michael's reference.  May be old
> news to some of you, but it's a neat new thing for me!
> http://www.baen.com/library/

It originated from a dispute in the rec.arts.sf.written newsgroup
between Eric Flint and S.M. Stirling two years ago.  Stirling believes
that online copyright infringement is such a serious threat that
it justifies outlawing all software, hardware, and protocols that
could possibly be used for this purpose, even if they are used for
legitimate purposes 99% of the time.  Eric Flint responded that the
biggest threat to an author's bottom line isn't illegal copies, it's
people who never heard of the author, and hence aren't willing to
spend real money on the chance that they'll enjoy the author's books.

So Eric Flint worked with Jim Baen and others to set up that library,
which so far seems to be proving his point.  Sales have increased, not
just of other books by authors in the library, but even of the very
books that are available for free.

Eric Flint and S.M. Stirling both write very good alternate history
novels, and they admire each other's work.
--
Keith F. Lynch - kfl at keithlynch.net - http://keithlynch.net/
I always welcome replies to my e-mail, postings, and web pages, but
unsolicited bulk e-mail (spam) is not acceptable.  Please do not send me
HTML, "rich text," or attachments, as all such email is discarded unread.