Posted by Jeremy Kriewaldt on September 19, 2002 at 00:35:36 from 211.28.96.43 user JeremyKriewaldt.
Over recent weeks Tarboard has seen the utility of being able to search the 9 (I think) Ransome works that Ed Kiser has typed out in ASCII format. I don't think that a machine readable version will ever replace the books in book format, but to have a useful tool like Ed's improves the quality of debate and research into AR's works.
I have raised with Ed whether he would agree to his material becoming the basis for a search engine to which the public would have access through the TARS site. He is agreeable, subject to all the legalities being dealt with.
Before everyone jumps up and down, I am a solicitor and so I know that we will need copyright licences from the Literary Trustees. Further, I would hope that the design parameters for the facility will mean that while a search could be effected using the facility, it would not be practically feasible for a person to use the facility to obtain copies of the works themselves.
The purpose of starting this thread is to see whether the users of Tarboard would like to see this facility, and if so, what features they would like to have incorporated in it. Also, I thought that if there was significant support that might be of assistance in raising the issue with the Literary Trustees (converely, if there were significant objections, I wouldn't have waste my or the Trustees' time).