Ethnologue data now limited until you pay

[Michael Everson]

> On 5 Jan 2016, at 06:53, Peter Constable <petercon at microsoft.com> wrote:
> 
>>> Here's to capitalism. Fortunately the ISO 639-3 pages aren't similarly restricted yet.
>> 
>> Yes, I noticed that. Thus endeth the usefulness of the resource. 
> 
> Huh? Capitalism? No longer useful?

When I needed to use it I would. I didn’t often. When I did, I might use it extensively. Not enough to warrant a monthly subscription.

<offtopic>The forms of capitalism which have prevailed since the 1980s make it hard enough to make ends meet, particularly as a sole trader. Adding yet another monthly charge is not an option, not for me anyway. How many subscribers to this list have used the Ethnologue? How many will stop doing so because of the access restriction? How many will subscribe?

> Both you guys are going overboard in your reactions. Fifteen years ago, you had no option but to buy the printed edition. We should all be thankful to SIL that they've been giving everyone free and unlimited access to this (still useful) resource on the Web for many years now, and that there will still be lots of free (just not unlimited) access. 

Seven searches a month? That does not qualify as “lots” to me. I wanted to help someone out by doing some searches for EGIDS data. I won’t be doing that now. 

Michael Everson * http://www.evertype.com/