Microsoft and Google in the Library Stacks
October 18, 2010
You can read the original or stuff the url into Google Translate. Either way, Microsoft has Google in the library stacks looking for a missing deal. The library? Bibliothèque Nationale de France (BNF). The missing deal? Microsoft seems to have put the Google search solution in a glass case and tossed the key into a dark corner. “Microsoft meilleur défenseur du Libre que Google pour les livres?” reported:
the agreement with Microsoft is not without consequence. Discussions are held between the BNF and Google to digitize the National Fund, with support from the Senate . But “since Google requires its exclusive partner libraries indexing, having signed an agreement with Microsoft that makes it so logically impossible now for the BNF to sign a partnership with Google to scan, except that it consents to back to one of the most important strategy. “
The problem is that Google wants exclusives. Microsoft offered a different deal. Now Google has to face the reality of Microsoft snatching a victory from Google’s fingers and putting Google in the rare book room.
How will this play out? Microsoft is likely to use this strategy to put the spotlight on Google’s terms for scanning and indexing. My view is that Microsoft should have continued its effort to compete with Google Books and implemented this spotlight tactic years ago. Now I think it is too late.
The comments to the article are interesting as well. Microsoft may have a trampoline to use to bounce on in this market sector.
Stephen E Arnold, October 18, 2010
Freebie
Comments
One Response to “Microsoft and Google in the Library Stacks”
-
- Subscribe to Beyond Search
Feature archive
News archive
-
[…] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptthe agreement with Microsoft is not without consequence. Discussions are held between the BNF and Google to digitize the National Fund, with support from the Senate . But “since Google requires its exclusive partner libraries indexing, … […]