Biblio-dolt

[sternbrg@cs.unm.edu]

Dearest Brother Steven,

A most interesting development occured on EXLIBRIS today.
EXL is the forum for those interested in rare books that I
mentioned to you a while ago.  It is very well moderated
by Dr. Wilkie who does so in his free time and for no
compensation other than the many headaches caused by careless
subscribers. The list allows commercial postings from
bookdealers although there is some resistance to this
from those who view the list as an academic forum.
I find the dealers posting interesting (but at times
annoying given their frequency) and have even purchased
books as a result (e. g. your last Birthday present).

There is a commercial operation called Bibliofind which
is some sort of database of books for sale. Prehaps you
have seen it advertised in the NYT. I understand that it
is freely accessable to buyers but that the owner charges
a fee to those offering books for sale. 

Recently the owner of Bibliofind posted a message saying
in effect that his operation was hit by computer vandels
who  are "intent on sabotaging our system." This apparently
has caused his operation "to freeze" his search capabilities, 
and has also caused the "greater part" of his  descriptions to
have "disappeared [sic] from the search responses."
He even offers a $5000 reward for the arrest and conviction
of the culprits. Understandable I suppose.

When I saw this posting I immediately thought that Bibliofind
had been attacked by a virus and the next posting from EXL
wisely intimated as much. 

Amazingly the owner of Bibliofind sends a message
addressed to Dr. Wilkie personally (but sent carelessly
and foolishly to the entire list; prehaps mistakenly, prehaps not)
in which he denies that a virus had attacked his system
and gives assurance that he would report such had that
been the case. In addition he threatens to sue the moderator 
of EXL for his McCarthy like behavior and demands a public
apology, which was immediately (if unnecessarily) forthcoming.
(If it turns out to be a hardware/software malfunction I
wonder if we will ever know about it. Nor it is inconceivable
that the postings to EXL are viewed as competition by Bibliofind.)

Unfortunately the owner of Bibliofind may have precipitated
the closure of EXL to all announcemnets from dealers.
This would be a shame, but typical of the harm that one
intent on protecting his own commercial venture may have 
on the bookselling (and bookbuying) community at large.
I understand  that booksellers are very happy to be allowed
to post (and read) such notices on EXL.

I think it would be a good idea to for all those interested
in this to send a message to the owner of Bibliofind 
(admin@bibliofind.com) and prehaps to EXL [exlibris@library.
berkeley.edu] as well) expressing their view that they
thought Bibliofind had been attacked by a virus (if that 
occured to them like it did to me) and their dismay that
he would even consider such actions.  (I think that the
EXL moderator's message was both innocent and reasonable.)
For if they don't they may well find themselves barred from
announcing their wares on EXL for good. (I have heard
privately and on good authority that such is actively
under consideration.) 

A foolish story, I know, and one which I hope will go away
soon so things can return to their formerly blissful state.

Mom sends her love.

Your brother,
Paul