Google Print-ing
Today my office-mate encountered the most disappointing of all student essays: that which is, without question, deliberately plagiarized. In paragraph two of a close reading, there was an obvious shift in diction and sentence length. Using Google Print, it took a very short time to find the original, even with numerous words changed to “hide” the borrowing. But printing the document didn’t produce the documentation David needed—because Google, doubtless at the advice of their lawyers, has set up GP so its text-scans aren’t easily printable.
Of course, if the publishers have their way, this defense of their work, however difficult, will be impossible.
The irony tag can wait no longer.
November 28th, 2005 at 10:54 pm
B, I’ve been using Print a little lately, and instead of doing copy & paste (since we can’t), I’ve used screen captures. Still have to retype to use something in a doc, but it might save your office-mate a little trackdown time…
cgb
November 29th, 2005 at 8:34 am
We did the same. I’m wondering how long it’ll be until that’s disabled (a la Windows Media Player).
And I note that it’s now called “Google Book Search.” Okay.