Open Access News

In a surprise move, Microsoft said it would create its new MSN Book Search service by working with the Open Content Alliance, a group founded to digitize and index books and other media. The group's founding members include Yahoo!, the very competitor from which Microsoft is trying to untie other parts of its Internet search business. Under the circumstances, Microsoft's move might seem odd. But some in the technology industry see it as an example of the lengths to which Microsoft will go in its rivalry with Google. Tim O'Reilly, whose O'Reilly Media book-publishing company belongs to the Open Content Alliance, expressed concern on his weblog that the group was "being hijacked by Microsoft as a way of undermining Google." O'Reilly's comment arose from the fact that joining the alliance gave Microsoft a chance to try to cast itself in a positive light -- while contrasting itself with the Web search leader....In an interview, O'Reilly said his use of the word "hijacking" was a little strong, in hindsight, to describe Microsoft's motives for participating in the Open Content Alliance. He said he thinks it's good that Microsoft is participating in the group. Still, he said he considers it inaccurate to portray Google as the "bad guy" for its initiative and Microsoft as the "good guy" for joining the alliance. In reality, O'Reilly said, the fundamental aims of the alliance and Google aren't opposed. Both initiatives are trying to make more books searchable and more accessible. "Overall, this is a good thing," he said of the various efforts to scan and index the world's books. "Effectively, there's competition to come up with the right answer."...The Open Content Alliance arose from discussions between Yahoo! and the Internet Archive, but was planned as something that would be "hospitable to other companies" that agree with the group's underlying principles, said Rick Prelinger, administrator of the alliance and board president of the Internet Archive. "Whoever agrees with those principles and has a contribution to make -- whether it's funding or content or tools or facilities or services -- they were going to be welcome," Prelinger said. "From the beginning, there was a hope that (Microsoft) would join."...Prelinger said the Internet Archive's relationship with Google is positive and that he hopes to work out an arrangement for the company to join the alliance. He also said he sees no reason to question Microsoft's motives in joining the group. "They made a substantial gift," he said, referring to the money Microsoft is paying for books to be scanned into the public database. "That doesn't seem like undermining to me."