Captured German military records online: "germandocsinrussia.org"

[Mori]

It is a great resource for researchers and those interested in learning about the subject. All without having to leave the comfort of your own living room/office. And all for free. And yet you complain.

The watermarks are only a problem for people trying to pass on (sell) the documents as their own finds - but now can't.

Yes, yes, yes.

And yet. I'm always puzzled with organizations aiming at making their documents widely available while ensuring one cannot get them all quickly and neatly. It's schizophrenic.

Many other entities do not care about people redistributing their documents (e.g., the 21 AG maps on the Library of Congress site).

[MarkN]

It is a great resource for researchers and those interested in learning about the subject. All without having to leave the comfort of your own living room/office. And all for free. And yet you complain.

The watermarks are only a problem for people trying to pass on (sell) the documents as their own finds - but now can't.

Yes, yes, yes.

And yet. I'm always puzzled with organizations aiming at making their documents widely available while ensuring one cannot get them all quickly and neatly. It's schizophrenic.

Many other entities do not care about people redistributing their documents (e.g., the 21 AG maps on the Library of Congress site).

I download from germandocsinrussia quickly and neatly. Why can't you? OK, I have to punch in a few numbers so that the files when downloaded have the names I want them to have, but that's it. I don't understand the complaints. If people were paying alot of money and getting problems, then it makes sense. But it's all free without having to leave home.

As regards LoC. All well and good if interested in NWE 1944-45. None of the maps I'm after are online.

[Michael Kenny]

You would be surprised at the number of sites that do not properly protect their 'Pay to Download' data..........

[Mori]

I download from germandocsinrussia quickly and neatly. Why can't you?

No need to be agressive. I manage alright, but I had to get my own script for that. I still wish there was a "download the whole folder" button.

If people were paying alot of money and getting problems, then it makes sense. But it's all free without having to leave home.

I sill think there is a difference between "It's for free so we don't make any effort to make it user friendly" and "it's for free so we make a special effort to block automatic / fast download and we try hard to avoid redistribution".

[AMVAS]

I think ELAR is a bit paranoidal with watermark placement. If their amount would be 3 times less the quality wold be much better with remaining copyright protection. Very annoying to see photos with 5-7 or even more watermarks on them.

[Mori]

Can you remind me what is ELAR...?

[Adler Heinz]

It was a good and useful archive, until they took the decision to put a big watermark on the pages. Totally an unnecessary choice, especially for the photos. Now is useless.

No it is not useless.

It is a great resource for researchers and those interested in learning about the subject. All without having to leave the comfort of your own living room/office. And all for free. And yet you complain.

The watermarks are only a problem for people trying to pass on (sell) the documents as their own finds - but now can't.

No, you are wrong and it's a your bias on me. I don't want sell nothing to anyone, the utility of a fresh document (without the big shitty watermark) is for who want to create a personal article on the subject of documents, you can use them like a sample into article, for best accuracy and more perfectness. Obviously you don't need to sell the article, but you can give them freely (i don't have payd the documents, i don't sell the article) for a common increase of knowledge. You have a big prejudice, we are not all the same.

[Jeff Leach]

You may be honest but a lot of people are not. Just look have much of the free NARA material end up on ebay for sale.

[GregSingh]

I don't see a problem with watermarks unless they make document unreadable, which is hardly the case with germandocsinrussia.
What really pisses me off is when someone takes freely available content, puts his watermark on it and sells it as his property.

[Mori]

By the way, new series were published on their web site yesterday.

[Mori]

You may be honest but a lot of people are not. Just look have much of the free NARA material end up on ebay for sale.

Is that so? I never paid any attention. Have you got some examples?

[Piet Duits]

Guys,

There are some new folders uploaded to germandocsinrussia.org

[Adler Heinz]

I don't see a problem with watermarks unless they make document unreadable, which is hardly the case with germandocsinrussia.
What really pisses me off is when someone takes freely available content, puts his watermark on it and sells it as his property.

Yes i'm agree with you for that people which sell documents available for all, but not for big watermark, especially for the photo albums. I think: you want to sell documents? ok. But don't release this for free with an ugly watermark, it's a paradox.

[Adler Heinz]

You may be honest but a lot of people are not. Just look have much of the free NARA material end up on ebay for sale.

Is that so? I never paid any attention. Have you got some examples?

Hello Mori, Jeff is right, i have seen this documents on Ebay, 1 or 2 years ago. There should be a discussion in a thread of this section (Archives), but now i don't remember where.

[Jeff Leach]

You may be honest but a lot of people are not. Just look have much of the free NARA material end up on ebay for sale.

Is that so? I never paid any attention. Have you got some examples?

search, 'Kreigstagebuch' on Ebay.de and tell me what you think

example: 20 Panzer Division