[A2k] Princeton Boasts Its Kindle Project Is Noblest

[Claude Almansi]

Thanks for the laugh, Jeffrey.


Jim Bezos sells Kindle book readers
He mucks them up with DRM
His Alma Mater promotes  them
My God, how the money rolls in


Best


Claude


On Sun, May 10, 2009 at 10:17 AM, Jeffrey A. Williams
<jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> All,
>
> =C2=A0Now isn't this both timely and at least a bit more appropriate.
> I'll refrain from saying Noble, as such was likely motivated
> by self interest in that maintaining enrollment was more likely
> the motivation. =C2=A0I hope of course I am mistaken in that thought.
>
> Now if only Google could be so magnanimous. =C2=A0Nah, maybe not,
> no $$ and/or huge bonuses in doing so. =C2=A0But perhaps the
> self styled "Founding Father of the Internet" and Google
> Internet Evangelest/VP Vint Cerf would be willing to set the
> example and forgo his bonus and in doing so incentive the
> rest of the leadership of Google to follow suit and/or be even
> more nobel and one up Princeton and offer their efforts in this
> space to all students all over the globe? =C2=A0 What about that
> Vint, are you up for it? =C2=A0What a PR bonanza such a move
> would be for Google and as such would likely translate
> in to enhancing Googles stock value far more than advertising
> Chrome on TV will and in fact may boost Chromes acceptance
> which as we already know is nearly nonexistent.
>
> =C2=A0Perhaps next Harvard, and especially the Kennedy School of
> law will follow Princeton's lead as to not be outdone by Princeton
> and suffer a collegial PR disaster and perhaps persuade ICANN's
> IPC and the RIAA to provide some of the funding for same no
> contractual legal strings attached or inclusive of course. =C2=A0If
> successful, such a coup would be perhaps an excellent write up in
> the Harvard law Review and elsewhere. =C2=A0Food for thought at least,
> eh? =C2=A0So now John and Jonathan, the gauntlet has been thrown down,
> care to pick it up, or is more convincing necessary? =C2=A0If the latter,
> please don't hesitate to let me know, I'll be happy to debate your
> staff in an open oral debate with my team as to the efficacy and
> ethical benifits of such. =C2=A0Jonathan, as I have in the past already
> bested you in debate before in conjunction with ICANN, perhaps you
> would be inclined to decline such an offer/challange. =C2=A0If so, I full=
y
> understand such a reluctance accordingly. =C2=A0>:)
>
> See: http://news.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=3D09/05/09/1615247
> "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, what's the noblest
> =C2=A0http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=3D09/05/06/1532239&tid=3D19=
2
> Amazon Kindle DX project of all? While other universities announced
> http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/blogs/mba_admissions/archives/2009/0=
5/amazon_chooses.html
> similar programs, Princeton is boasting
> http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2009/05/08/23660/ its project is
> unique in that it will focus on sustainability by reducing the amount of
> electronic-reserve course materials that students print. Under the pilot
> program, $60,000 will reportedly be used to provide 50 lucky Princeton
> students with $489 Kindle DX devices loaded with materials for three
> courses. In a FAQ, students are told
> http://www.princeton.edu/ereaderpilot/faq/
> not to worry about 'this time of severe economic constraints' Princeton
> and Amazon have managed to
> http://www.princeton.edu/sustainability/psc/highmeadows/fy09-awards/
> tap into a fund specifically endowed to support sustainability
> projects to provide Kindles at no cost. In addition to a
> http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/princeton_university_will_use.ht=
ml
> $30,000 grant from the High Meadows Foundation, which is headed by
> Princeton alum Carl Ferenbach (who, coincidentally, serves on the Board
> of Trustees of the Environmental Defense Fund with the wife of Amazon
> Director John Doerr), a matching amount will be provided by Princeton
> alum Jeff Bezos' Amazon. =C2=A0The
> http://www.princeton.edu/ereaderpilot/goals/ E-reader Pilot Program has
> more information."