Getting on the Soap Box

[RufusACanal]

Accessibility to recovery materials and media is a triumph in 2008. The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous in almost any edition, The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, A new Pair of Glasses are available online as well a slew of Speaker Tapes and Discussions. I went looking for a requested audio example of the Golden Books by Father John Doe. What an awesome set of books, though finding the free audio versions is next to impossible. I want to change this and I have begun to pray for guidance in this regard.

If I am going to spend money on recovery in the future, I am going to do it to provide the accessibility of information and learning at no cost to those who desire to have it. There are several excellent repositories of recovery text, audio and video material online for those who like myself enjoy the opportunity they provide in this new life yet there isn't one real comprehensive central location for those who wish to enrich their lives with the many voices of the past or present.

With my abilities and resources, I can do much to further this idea.

You thoughts are important to me. Ron

[Sugah]

The friends and family of a long-time member who passed away not long ago purchased a case of Big Books and had them placed in local libraries and schools. Internet is a great resource for anyone who has access to it, though to many just getting sober, keeping a roof over one's head is a stretch.

I'd suggest, Ron, that you connect with your local PI committee and brainstorm ideas. Also, your time might be the more valuable -- volunteer to contact professionals (CPC) in your area to educate them on what AA does and doesn't do, provide them with literature they can pass on to patients/clients/wards (doctors, mental health agencies, probation officers, etc). If your district/inner group doesn't have these committees, your area committee or New York can send you information on how to start them.

We get along with very little money in our district and do just fine. What we never seem to have enough of is people with time to help.

Peace & Love,
Sugah

[nandm]

What a fantastic idea.

We had a long term member who left our Home Group a bunch of speaker tapes when he passed away. I don't know if it would be of any help but if you would like I can send you a list of the speakers and if there are any you are interested in send you copies.

[CarolD]

Wow Ron....
Interesting task you are exploring.
Good for you!

[RufusACanal]

Computing is the new doorway to the world and I would like to create a nexus of information for the Alcoholic. I am not equipped to try other addictions or afflictions; Alcoholism is what I am most familiar with. The message of a new life need not have any associated cost to any recovering person in my estimation, though I am not so naive as to not consider that cost is definitely associated with the direction of my thinking. The ability to freely find, freely read, freely research and freely print the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous is a reality today, yet I would make it even more freely accessible. I would make accessible every form of media possible with the authors and or publishers legal permission. The message of hope need never again be unavailable to anyone with access to a computer.

My fundamental belief is that no one should profit from recovery based information; no one. Regardless of the packaging, the premise, the promise; recovery from a seemingly hopeless condition is not for profit. I believe the same is true of ministering Christianity, but that is another road less traveled.

I am not interested in creating another SR or an online clubhouse or storefront. I am interested in developing an online library of Alcoholism information and learning containing media of many formats; a place of learning that is easily accessed by anyone, anywhere in the world. Knowledge provides security; I would make the knowledge more available.

Your thoughts are important and your help is more than welcome. Ron

[stone]

Well you would need to hire a server or hope someone donates you one and then you would need access to the material, books in .PDF format and audiobooks and speaker tapes and also videos.
The best way for people to upload/download them would be via bittorrent as that way ordinary PC users can upload the thing and then as more and more people download the file they can help 'seed' the file so those coming later get faster download speeds. Otherwise you would have to source all the material yourself and upload it all yourself, time consuming to do.
I actually dowloaded the BB audiobook via bittorrent but I am not to sure of the copyright implications of that...so that is something you would have to be careful of. I also have some step DVDs with Joe McQ that someone else downloaded and gave to me.

Anyway, I think that would be the best way to do it.

Bittorrents have a bit of a reputation for ilegallity but what is illegal/against copyright are the files, not the bittorrent process. Bittorrent is just a way of file sharing, here is a link to a website that hosts only legal files. Legit Torrents - Legal Torrents, Free Media

So apart from the sever you just need a website like that, for people to access the files.

[RufusACanal]

Truly said. I am not troubled by the hardware-software; I have access to the tools. Just need to complete my inventory on the why's. Appreciate your thoughts. R

[sugErspun]

Personally..I have run into the problem many times in the cyber-world. I am not educated much on DRM laws and such, but when someone wants to share a speaker CD, or a workshop CD there should be somewhere where one could upload it, and the other grab it. End up having to make a copy, get the person's address (who may or may not want to share online, even through PM) and send through the postal service.

This of course falls under the category of file sharing and could easily lead to misuse if not probably secured.

I doubt anyone owns the information on these talks etc - but someone took the time and equipment to record it. That is why it is so much easier to find talks for sale rather than free download.

XA-Speakers is excellent, maybe they could assist in getting something set up (their servers are excruciatingly slow when trying to dl a talk recorded at a good bit-rate).