Potential Solution to the Copyright Crises

    In order to suggest a solution to Google-Print's copyright dilemma, it is important to first inquire into the source of the objections: copyright infringement.  An author has every right to be recognized for his/her ideas, as well as to gain from the profits and proceeds of the sale of their hard-earned work.  However, one should recognize that, with regard to the second element, the proceeds from sales vary widely between books.  It might reasonably be claimed that the most successful works will tend to be fictional pieces, while nonfictional works tend to have lower revenues--non-withstanding the exceptions to the rule.  Generally speaking, academics write for other academics.  One may then argue that one possible solution to the quandary is to separate nonfiction from fictional works, incorporating only the former into the Google-Print project.   It is important to note that the author will directly benefit with regard to the first element previously noted: they will gain much greater exposure via Google-Print that via formal library and bookstore distribution.  More importantly, it is much easier to verify copyright infringement via Google-Print precisely because it is so readily accessible.  An "exact-phrase" search will make verification of copyright almost instantaneous.  In the end, we may note that books are not meant to be read on the screen, but rather sitting down on a comfortable chair--where a reader can gain intimate familiarity with the author's ideas.   While we do recognize that this solution will likely not be adopted, as copyright makes little distinction between trait-based works, we mention it nonetheless to more fully explore the benefits and costs of Google-Print.  What people tend to do is often a more important consideration than what they can potentially accomplish.