Another data point in an interesting trend; the settlement’s strongest critics in the publishing world are agents. The New York Times quotes from a memo William Morris sent to its clients saying the settlement would “bind copyright owners in any book published prior to January 9, 2009 to its terms.” The Authors Guild is up with a strong reply emphasizing authors’ flexibility under the settlement and negotiating power.
Without a copy of the memo itself, it’s hard to say much more. The very limited summary the Times provides doesn’t strike me as terribly convincing, but the quotes from William Morris attorney Eric Zohn on searchability are smart, and suggest that there might be more there there. If any Lab readers have a copy of the memo, please get in touch.