Ego Surfing Gets a New Longboard

As of today, Amazon.com now enables searches across the entire texts of every book it sells (or at least every book whose publisher has given permission). Research just got a hell of a lot easier. (Via Jeff Jarvis)

Comments

[Cridland]

I don't feel bad about all the browsing I do at Barnes and Noble, because when I do buy new books, that's where they come from. Does research through Amazon put us in any sort of indebtedness to them? I imagine lots of people keeping their Amazon and public library links side-by-side, the former for citations and the latter for actual research.

[Madog]

When I was still in college, I ended up buy a lot of books through Amazon, the libraries just didn't carry them. In the long run it will probably boost sales to people like me, or at least help us find what we really need.

[JSM]

I tried to search inside Mr Sullums latest book; Saying Yes. It wasn't offered. Anyone know if authors or publishers have a say in whether or not their books get this technology?

[Warren]

KEW-ELLE I love technology! I tried it with "A guillotine for mice" an obsucre line I happen to remember from 2010 by Arthur C Clarke, and it hit, top of the list, quick as a wink.

JSM, That is an excellent point. The home page says that everything is in the database. If that isn't true, then my enthusiasm is curtailed by reservations.

[Unity 7-2521]

According to the website, you cannot search inside books for which the publisher has not granted Amazon permission to display copyrighted material

[Matt Welch]

I have changed the post to reflect the difference... thanks!

[Warren]

Hmmm... OK so what's the deal Jacob? Why can't we search "Saying Yes" huh?

I wonder how soon till you can search every song? Amazon might just be the ones to pull the RIAA kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

[JSM]

If I can say one thing about "Saying Yes," it is an excellent source for drug war statistics to help counter the propaganda! (hint, hint)

[SteveInClearwater]

So does http://www.drugwarfacts.org

This site also has the top 14 Drug Warrior Distortions.

[Rick Barton]

What a cool service that technology has enabled Amazon to offer! Kudos to Jeff Bezos. This is going to make it so, "the truth will out" as it's supposed to, except even faster!

I really could of used this a few weekends ago when I went over to the Eschaton blog, and in response to a Umberto Eco piece about fascism, which included a quote from FDR; I posted an argument; that FDR's NRA administered a fascist economic plan. Well, some guy took issue with me and the debate raged back and forth, both over there and here as well. From the level of commentary that this guy was issuing, I started to think that he was, perhaps, some Jr. High kid, who, along with name calling was trying to BS me. It turned out he that was a "published author"(who was trying to BS me). Among the insipid things he said was: There has NEVER been any such thing as "fascist economics".
He also cited several books with "fascism" in the title and stated that if I would just read these, I could mend the errors in my thinking, including the assertion of the existence of such nonsense as "fascist economics". This is where I accused him of BSing, saying that after debating with him, I found it hard to to believe he'd actually read the books he cited to me, or ANY book on fascism for that matter. Well..a few days later at the library, I looked for the books he cited and in the very first volume I found, that HE HAD CITED, was a section on: the nature of fascist economics! This new service of Amazon's would have been quite handy "real time" during the debate.

Oh well, it sounds wonderful. Is capitalism great or what?

[Kim Stan]

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DATE: 02/28/2004 11:23:21
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