Item id: 45643352
6 hours ago
As a counterpoint, every Canadian gets 10 free ISBNs they can use. If they use those up (I’m close) they can buy more cheaply.
This is what a society looks like that isn’t run for the purpose of maximizing profit of companies.
2 hours ago
Sounds pretty scary. Next you'll tell me you can get semiglutide medications to lose weight cheaply, helping people to be healthier. Feels like anarchy.
3 hours ago
Because they co-created the idea?
Trademarks and patents are enforced by governments. Unique identifiers for books was a marketing idea. You, me, anyone could create a new system and somebody probably will :)
6 hours ago
Actually it's highly usual. Lots of things are like this, e.g. UPC numbers for barcodes, D&B / D-U-N-S numbers, CUSIPs.
The government doesn't require books to have ISBNs, so why should issuing them be the government's problem?
There's nothing to stop you from setting up your own, alternative book numbering system that nobody cares about if you think you can do a better job.
3 hours ago
> Actually it's highly usual... CUSIPs... there's nothing to stop you from setting up your own, alternative... numbering system
I don't think there's anything natural about the mandatory use of copyrighted CUSIP identifiers in regulatory reporting. When SEC publishes its quarterly list of 13F securities it includes a disclaimer that it does so "with permission" from the copyright holder. My city doesn't pay royalties or seek approvals when it records and processes car license plate numbers for parking enforcement. The copyright holder seems actively involved in rulemaking that has the potential to diminish the role CUSIPs play in mandatory regulatory reporting.
https://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/proposals/comments/FR-00...
6 hours ago
Case in point: I have several technical manuals that look like books but have no ISBN numbers.
3 hours ago
And app stores require DUNS numbers too, reinforcing D&B's power
5 hours ago
Do you know what the “I” in ISBN stands for?
There’s a whole world out there.
6 hours ago
> ICANN is effectively a child of a U.S. defense agency
is it?