This post was mentioned on Twitter by realtimeseo: Brussels targets Microsoft and Google – The City Herald http://goo.gl/fb/Xsbc...

Or at least, I tend to support the not-so-absurd idea that national cultures should be provided and fostered by states (or political entities like the UE) as a public service and not by the private sector. You know, just cuz eventually, Google won’t be scanning those free-of-copyright books for free. It’s a for-profit corporation after all.

So I end up on Sarko’s side, even though his gov’t and him are probably doing it for the wrong reason (political ends) you are rightly pointing out.

Indeed, if you then transpose the debate of private vs. public sector, to France, you can only expect such controversies. France, where the language and the culture are irremovable part of its national identity, one of Sarko’s hobbyhorse right now, a little context cannot hurt, right?

It is simply better PR to defend keeping classics of the french literature within the grasp of France than to accuse migrants, both documented and undocumented, to destroy the French identity – a ongoing claim made by the ruling UMP party and the French goverment over the last month or so, as part of their current ‘national debate on the French identity’.

Then you understand more easily why Sarko & co are so adamant on catering a public service of digitalization of the said culture.

And, by the way, it’s a quite impressive litany of clichés about France you got here, too. Only a few baguettes and bérets are lacking here and there, ineuh maïe eaupinioneuh.