Maybe Google is really serious about digitizing all of the world’s knowledge.
According to the Google Blog announcing the archive, it includes not only the Zapruder film of the Kennedy assassination but also the entire works left to the Life collection by photographers Alfred Eisenstaedt, Gjon Mili and Ninan Leen. Google also says that many images have never before been published:
The rest have been sitting in dusty archives in the form of negatives, slides, glass plates, etchings, and prints. We’re digitizing them so that everyone can easily experience these fascinating moments in time.
Users can also access full-size, full-screen versions of the images, and they can order full-size high-quality framed prints from Life. It does sound like a great holiday gift idea, but why go through the fuss of ordering from Life? Why not simply download, print and frame them yourself? Google says that’s fine. The photos can be printed out for free as long as they aren’t being used as part of an attempt to make money.
So far, Google has archived about 2 million images, and it says it plans to add the rest “during the next few months.”
