On the curious debate over AI companies buying, digitizing, and discarding “rare” books.

3 points•JBruggeman•1 day ago•5 comments•

5 comments

foxyv1 day ago
Better in a computer than in a dumpster has always been my contention. We throw away a LOT of books every day. Just ask any librarian, used book store owner, or publisher's warehouse.

https://www.npr.org/2011/10/12/141265066/hard-choices-do-lib...

bigbadfeline1 day ago
> Better in a computer than in a dumpster has always been my contention.

I don't think so, "in a computer" doesn't mean "in your computer". In many ways a dumpster is safer than a computer belonging to someone who likes to exclude you from access to valuable information - like the latest models of the AI bros, which are fully or partially blocked from the public but still available to selected few.

foxyv1 day ago
I don't understand. I have access to all of Anthropic's models right now? Also, I don't have access to books that were destroyed in a dumpster.
JohnFen1 day ago
Should doesn't enter into it. I care a lot, for a lot of reasons.

It is also a potent physical symbol of what these companies are doing to society overall. I suspect that most people who react poorly to the practice are really reacting to this aspect.

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