Google To Host 10M Images From Life Magazine's Archive

CWmike and other readers alerted us to Google's announcement that it was making available 10 million images from Life magazine's archives dating back to the 1750s. (Most of the news accounts covering this announcement refer to Life's "photos," and none mention that photography wasn't invented until early in the 19th century.) Only a small percentage of the images — including newly digitized images from photos and etchings — have even been published. The rest have been "sitting in dusty archives in the form of negatives, slides, glass plates, etchings, and prints." At this point about 20% of Life's archive is online; the rest is promised within months.

Comments

What Public domain?

[twitter]

There's a serious point in your casual observation. The older pictures were worth more when they were relevant. That is the value perpetual copyright robs us of. You still can't publish them yourself. 90+ year copyright means that only the very earliest recordings and photographs can be shared freely. TW is notorious for demaning huge sums of money for the tiniest violation.

Re:It's lifelike pictures Jim

[Anonymous Coward]

Give me a fucking break please.