Quote:
Originally Posted by ficbot
I think the whole DRM argument is silly. If I wanted to let my mother read my copy of any book in paper, I could do this in five minutes and it wouldn't be illegal at all. Or she could go get it from the library for free. Anyone who wants free books just for the sake of having free books has plenty of legal ways they can get them.
My sister has in the past given me access to her Fictionwise account. About 95% of it didn't interest me because she's a little more into the smut than I am  Of the fifty-off titles she showed me, I did download two of them. One of them was okay, I am not sorry I read it but it would not have been something I would have picked out on my own and I did not, as a result of reading it, seek out any of the author's other books. The other was the first in a series. I really liked it. But as I said, my sister has different tastes than me. She did not like it so much and only had book 1. So I did go out and buy the subsequent ones on my own. I don't feel like I did anything illegal, either. I don't see the difference in that and in my sister loaning me a print book and then the same result happening: either it was not for me, in which case I would not have bought it anyway, or I liked it and am on my own for acquiring the author's other works, as it should be Either way, in e or not, the author who has won me over on their merits gains a sale they would not have otherwise had because I get introduced to their work by another reader. So what's the problem? |
Because legally, you made a full copy of a work that you were not given permission to make a copy of by the author of said work. It would legally be the same as if you just made photo-copies of your sister's books for yourself (but much easier of course). Generally, I think the courts have found such copies to stretch beyond the bounds of fair use for private indivduals (I think it is sometimes ok for teachers....).
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Bill