EFF Guide to Reader's Rights with Ebooks

badgoodDeb · 02-23-2010, 04:55 PM

In case you haven't seen it, the TidBits newsletter (mac centric) points out this article by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, about readers rights with ebooks.

https://www.eff.org/wp/digital-books-and-your-rights

(err, if there already is a thread, delete me please!)

fugazied · 02-23-2010, 05:01 PM

I don't 'think' it's been posted before, but that page does look familiar.

The sad fact is that most mainstream e-readers won't match the criteria on that page. The Kindle for example fails VERY badly which is disappointing. It's a good frame of reference though, to help us appreciate the kinds of rights we need for these devices. Anything less is really just another corporation trying to take advantage of the digital 'land grab', trying to take more rights that consumers previously had with print media.

When compared to print media, the disadvantages of Kindle in terms of privacy, books being 'deactivated', book lending, re-selling books really stack up and make it look bad.

MrBlueSky · 02-23-2010, 05:24 PM

Direct quote from the article

<< The ability to read privately and anonymously is essential to freedom of expression, thought and inquiry >>

Hmm.

All the files I have ever downloaded meet these 8 basic rights I have as a reader.

1) My sony is not activated. I never connect it to an online PC.

2) I tell it what to do.

3) I can make as many annotations, highlights and additions as I like.

4) Of course I own the files I download.

5) They are certainly censorship resistant.

6) DRM is evil, I won’t allow it.

7) Information wants to be free.

8) All files are either plain text, basic HTML or RTF.

Freedom is easy to find when you know where to look or it!

thename · 02-23-2010, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrBlueSky

Direct quote from the article

<< The ability to read privately and anonymously is essential to freedom of expression, thought and inquiry >>

Hmm.

All the files I have ever downloaded meet these 8 basic rights I have as a reader.

1) My sony is not activated. I never connect it to an online PC.

2) I tell it what to do.

3) I can make as many annotations, highlights and additions as I like.

4) Of course I own the files I download.

5) They are certainly censorship resistant.

6) DRM is evil, I won’t allow it.

7) Information wants to be free.

8) All files are either plain text, basic HTML or RTF.

Freedom is easy to find when you know where to look or it!

Hear hear! I agree and feel that my Sony is pretty darn close to meeting most of the checked items--every reader should show up as a drive! Who needs proprietary, phoning home software?!

02-23-2010, 04:55 PM	#1
badgoodDeb Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,501 Karma: 64095689 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Harrisburg outskirts Device: Palms, K1-4s, iPads, iPhones, KV, KO1	EFF Guide to Reader's Rights with Ebooks In case you haven't seen it, the TidBits newsletter (mac centric) points out this article by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, about readers rights with ebooks. https://www.eff.org/wp/digital-books-and-your-rights (err, if there already is a thread, delete me please!)

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02-23-2010, 05:01 PM	#2
fugazied Wizard Posts: 1,305 Karma: 1958 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: iPod Touch	I don't 'think' it's been posted before, but that page does look familiar. The sad fact is that most mainstream e-readers won't match the criteria on that page. The Kindle for example fails VERY badly which is disappointing. It's a good frame of reference though, to help us appreciate the kinds of rights we need for these devices. Anything less is really just another corporation trying to take advantage of the digital 'land grab', trying to take more rights that consumers previously had with print media. When compared to print media, the disadvantages of Kindle in terms of privacy, books being 'deactivated', book lending, re-selling books really stack up and make it look bad.

02-23-2010, 05:24 PM	#3
MrBlueSky Connoisseur Posts: 53 Karma: 400693 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Sony 600	Direct quote from the article << The ability to read privately and anonymously is essential to freedom of expression, thought and inquiry >> Hmm. All the files I have ever downloaded meet these 8 basic rights I have as a reader. 1) My sony is not activated. I never connect it to an online PC. 2) I tell it what to do. 3) I can make as many annotations, highlights and additions as I like. 4) Of course I own the files I download. 5) They are certainly censorship resistant. 6) DRM is evil, I won’t allow it. 7) Information wants to be free. 8) All files are either plain text, basic HTML or RTF. Freedom is easy to find when you know where to look or it!

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