Thoughts tagged "shadow library"

Short thoughts, notes, links, and musings by . RSS

Shadow libraries and AI training

For those just learning about LibGen because of the reporting on Meta and other companies training LLMs on pirated books, I’d highly recommend the book Shadow Libraries: Access to Knowledge in Global Higher Education (open access).

I just read it while working on the Wikipedia article about shadow libraries, and it’s a fascinating history.

I fear the already fraught conversations about shadow libraries will take a turn for the worse now that they’re overlapping with the incredibly fraught conversations about AI training.

It’s a shame to see Sci-Hub falling for web3 hype and adding a pumpfun memecoin ticker to their webpage. Blockchain-based DNS does not automatically mean “decentralized”, and 3DNS — the company behind .box — is based in the US and would be subject to US court orders.

Sci-Hub is now available on two new domains: [redacted] and [redacted].box. What is special here is that .box domain is blockchain-based, which makes it decentralized and somewhat more resistant to censorship (hopefully!) The domain address was donated to Sci-Hub by user. The website also runs a new version of Sci-Hub with boxed design (under construction at the moment, but will be running on all mirrors soon)

Someone unaffiliated with Sci-Hub created the memecoin, claiming to be fundraising, but said only 20% of proceeds would go to Sci-Hub. Founder Alexandra Elbakyan herself condemned this.

Alexandra Elbakyan @ringo_ring Nov 16, 2024 thanks! indeed it would be much easier for me if he donated 'normal' bitcoin or ethereum. I'm not good in these new crypto tokens, and I do not understand them very well EenAir @aidooebenezer79 Nov 16, 2024 I understand that Bitcoin and Ethereum are more familiar, but the SciHub token on Solana represents our support for you and the SciHub community. It’s a way to show our commitment to open knowledge and support SciHub innovatively. Alexandra Elbakyan @ringo_ring Nov 16, 2024 if someone uses Sci-Hub name to collect donations for Sci-Hub, sending only 20% to Sci-Hub -- that's not a 'commitment to open knowledge' that's a fraud. I'm not going to participate in it. EenAir @aidooebenezer79 Nov 16, 2024 I understand the confusion! To put it simply, $SciHub is like a "meme token," but with a purpose. Meme tokens are fun and often used by communities to show support or raise awareness for a cause. Alexandra Elbakyan @ringo_ring Right now there is more harm done than help. Suppose someone reads that Sci-Hub received $4M USD in donations (which is not actually true) that would simply put me in danger
Alexandra Elbakyan @ringo_ring Nov 16, 2024 I think the offer is ridiculous. If that is $scihub token, then 100% should be donated to Sci-Hub, right? you can take commission, but it should be at least 80% Sci-Hub + 20% your bonus for collecting donations? EenAir @aidooebenezer79 Nov 16, 2024 Actually, that's not the case. The $SciHub token is a publicly sold token, similar to how Bitcoin works. No one can own 100% of the token. It is being purchased by supporters, and the aim is to show community support for SciHub. Alexandra Elbakyan @ringo_ring I did not ask you to support Sci-Hub by "publicly selling" the project. Thanks! dump.fun @dumpyfunny Nov 16, 2024 Wow u are ignorant asf. We doing u a favor. We don't need ur grifty ass

I guess things changed bc there is now a crypto ticker showing the memecoin price on the Sci-Hub front page, and the donations page also prominently lists it.

A crypto ticker below the usual Sci-Hub header, showing prices for bitcoin, Solana, and a SCIHUB memecoin

Sci-Hub has long fundraised by accepting donations of major cryptocurrencies, which makes sense. But the memecoin seems like a terrible idea, and it’s not clear what they’re even trying to do with the web3 domain.