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samizdatmore about samizdat

samizdat


  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Jargon  File  (4.2.3,  23  NOV  2000)  [jargon]: 
 
  samizdat  /sahm-iz-daht/  n.  [Russian,  literally  "self 
  publishing"]  The  process  of  disseminating  documentation  via  underground 
  channels.  Originally  referred  to  underground  duplication  and  distribution 
  of  banned  books  in  the  Soviet  Union;  now  refers  by  obvious  extension 
  to  any  less-than-official  promulgation  of  textual  material,  esp.  rare 
  obsolete,  or  never-formally-published  computer  documentation.  Samizdat  is 
  obviously  much  easier  when  one  has  access  to  high-bandwidth  networks  and 
  high-quality  laser  printers.  Note  that  samizdat  is  properly  used  only 
  with  respect  to  documents  which  contain  needed  information  (see  also 
  {hacker  ethic})  but  which  are  for  some  reason  otherwise  unavailable, 
  but  _not_  in  the  context  of  documents  which  are  available  through  normal 
  channels,  for  which  unauthorized  duplication  would  be  unethical  copyright 
  violation.  See  {Lions  Book}  for  a  historical  example. 
 
 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  samizdat 
 
    (Russian,  literally  "self  publishing")  The 
  process  of  disseminating  documentation  via  underground 
  channels.  Originally  referred  to  photocopy  duplication  and 
  distribution  of  banned  books  in  the  former  Soviet  Union;  now 
  refers  by  obvious  extension  to  any  less-than-official 
  promulgation  of  textual  material,  especially  rare  obsolete, 
  or  never-formally-published  computer  documentation.  Samizdat 
  is  obviously  much  easier  when  one  has  access  to 
  high-{bandwidth}  {networks}  and  high-quality  {laser  printers}. 
 
  Strictly,  samizdat"  only  applies  to  distribution  of  needed 
  documents  that  are  otherwise  unavailable,  and  not  to 
  duplication  of  material  that  is  available  for  sale  under 
  {copyright}. 
 
  See  {Lions  Book}  for  a  historical  example. 
 
  See  also:  {hacker  ethic}. 
 
  [{Jargon  File}] 
 
  (2000-03-23) 
 
 




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