[WikiEN-l] Alphascript Publishing: 1900+ copy&pasted books from Wikipedia

[wjhonson at aol.com]

-----Original Message-----
From: Renata St <renatawiki at gmail.com>
To: English Wikipedia <wikien-l at lists.wikimedia.org>; Wikimedia 
Foundation Mailing List <foundation-l at lists.wikimedia.org>
Sent: Thu, Aug 13, 2009 3:10 pm
Subject: [WikiEN-l] Alphascript Publishing: 1900+ copy&pasted books 
from Wikipedia


It was raised before on the Village Pump, but I think this is so 
disturbing
that we ought to do something.

"Alphascript Publishing" has published over 1900 (and counting) books, 
all
available on Amazon. Prices range from $31 to $179. All of these books 
are
simple computer-generated copies from Wikipedia and (at least according 
to
one Amazon reviewer) couple other public domain websites. Trouble is, 
from
book description page there is absolutely no way of knowing that the 
book is
a Wikipedia mirror on paper. At least several Amazon buyers have been
fooled. What really gets my blood boiling is that Amazon user "VDM 
Verlag
Dr.Müller" (I think someone exposed him as 100% shareholder of the
publishing co) goes on rating these products as "five star"....

The publisher seems to observe the copyright (even includes full edit
history) so legal action seems impossible. Someone already contacted 
Amazon,
but they "are not responsible for the quality of books sold". In the
meantime the number of such books grew from 900 in June to almost 2000 
as of
today... I think we should do something. At the very least publishing
product reviews wa
rning that what this is....

See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:PrimeHunter/Alphascript_Publishing_sells_free_articles_as_expensive_books
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Village_pump_(miscellaneous)/Archive_20#The_Alphascript-Amazon-Wikipedia_book_hoax
http://rufftoon.livejournal.com/59337.html

Thanks,
Renata

P.S. on a happier note: half of Wikipedia editors now can claim to be
"published authors".>>
_______________________________________________


Renata I'm not sure to what you're objecting.
Our contents are republishable.  The author is certainly free to rate 
his own work five stars.
What's the issue here?

Will Johnson