The Georgia Tech Library is running the following notice

Because of recent problems with systematic downloading of IEEE and ASCE journal articles that resulted in the suspension of our access, the Library has implemented downloading limits. We will continue to monitor this situation. Please note that downloading entire collections of data or entire issues of a journal or conference is a violation of copyright law and a violation of Georgia Tech's licenses with publishers.

Yet another reason why we need open content. Subscription prices are rising at a rapid pace. Every university I've been at has sent out "surveys" to find out which journals we "really" need because costs are outstripping budgets. Now we get "downloading limits" with no specifics about those limits. What if I'm interested in an entire special issue? Do these "downloading limits" mean I can only see one article per day? Per week? Per month? Soon to come, printing limits, time limits on how long one can read an article--already in use via NetLibrary, and perhaps even citation limits. Digital collections are great, but not when they come with high prices and restrictions. It appears the Georgia Tech Library is only borrowing the journals.

Nick Carbone published this link on techrhet just yesterday:

http://credibilitycommons.org

I noticed a new posting this morning, explaining the site's purpose:

The Credibility Commons is an experimental environment enabling individuals the opportunity to try out different approaches to improving access to credible information on the World Wide Web. Tools will be provided to researchers as well as the public, allowing them to try out search strategies, collections and other approaches to improving access to credible information. The Commons can be viewed as a collaborative space in which to share ideas, data sets, results and innovations. This project is sponsored by the MacArthur Foundation who is deeply invested in improving access to credible information on the World Wide Web.

It's a little after midnight on March 23. The fancy-schmancy hotel where the conference is taking place charges an hourly rate for internet access, so I didn't liveblog. But here are my entries for the first day of the conference.

• Leeroy Jenkins Meets the CCCC Program
• 900 Newbies
• Newsweek Educational Program
• 1UP: Perspectives from Scholars/Practitioners of Video Games

Another plug, but I couldn't resist after reading Matt Barton's review of the Steven Johnson book a couple posts down. I'd like to alert Kairos readers to a thread recently begun at if:book -- the blog of the institute for the future of the book -- where we have mounted a multi-post, ongoing critique of EBIGFY, in which Johnson himself is participating. We were moved to do this after witnessing the near-universal acclaim the book has received. Already, we've come across numerous instances of it being assigned as essential reading for new media and design classes, in some cases by teachers who haven't even read it. It seemed time for a more rigorous discussion...