The people selling ebooks on ebay - Page 2

HarryT · 03-23-2010, 10:48 AM

I was going to ask the same thing myself. Why do you think that this would not be legal in the UK?

pietvo · 03-23-2010, 12:08 PM

To take a concrete example: Books by Shakespeare are still being sold in the UK, in spite of them being in the public domain. Do you think it would be illegal to sell ebook versions of them on Ebay (e.g. derived from PG files)? [I don't know why anybody would buy them instead of downloading them for free, but that's not the point.]

DawnFalcon · 03-23-2010, 12:12 PM

Of course it's not illegal. You can charge for Public Domain works if you wish, it's entirely legitimate.

And, yes, people can go and get their own PD version from wherever. You can add your own preface and do your own formatting and copyright /that/ of course, if you wish...and indeed certain versions of PD books sell for precisely that reason!

HarryT · 03-23-2010, 12:16 PM

The only exception would be the comparatively small number of books which are in the public domain in the US, but not in the UK. Generally early works by long-lived authors.

mr ploppy · 03-23-2010, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pietvo

Why not?

Different copyright laws, and often different publishers controlling it. In the UK it is 70 years from the death of the author, so nothing from the 1940s or 50s would be PD.

HarryT · 03-23-2010, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

Different copyright laws, and often different publishers controlling it. In the UK it is 70 years from the death of the author, so nothing from the 1940s or 50s would be PD.

True, but to simply say that "selling PG books in the UK is illegal" as a blanket statement is somewhat misleading. There are large numbers of books on PG which can be sold perfectly legally in the UK.

mr ploppy · 03-23-2010, 01:45 PM

There is also a large number that cannot, so saying that anything on PG can be sold (or even downloaded) in the UK is also misleading.

pietvo · 03-23-2010, 07:01 PM

OK, cleared up. But that is different than saying

Quote:

They wouldn't be legal if they are listed for sale in the UK.

petercreasey · 03-23-2010, 07:45 PM

With all the free ebook sources, why would there be a market for SELLING ebooks on eBay?

Ravensknight · 03-23-2010, 10:47 PM

With all the free ebook sources, why would there be a market for SELLING ebooks on eBay?

N00bs :-) Seriously though, if someone who is not a techy gets a kindle or some other reader for Christmas or their birthday, they don't have the faintest idea of how to proceed. My cousin just bought a kindle, and while I consider him to be extremely competent, he is just overwhelmed at the moment. I suspect we'll be having several phone chats about it. Thankfully I've pointed him here, so I'm hoping he joins and reads...

pietvo · 03-24-2010, 05:20 AM

People with a Kindle are just supposed to shop at Amazon. (Sorry, my smileys don't work)

Keloff · 03-24-2010, 10:48 AM

Don't hope I'm stepping on any toes here*, but I find it morally objectionable to sell a PD book if the alternative is available through places such as Feedbooks or Project Gutenberg.

Is this perhaps an overreaction?

* After all, I suppose that a really well prepared version of a PD book with explanatory notes, better formatting, etc., may be an added value -- hence its marketability.

mr ploppy · 03-24-2010, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pietvo

OK, cleared up. But that is different than saying

Maybe if they seperated out the non-UK-PD books from the UK-PD ones, or sold them individually, but the way they sell them with thousands of books stuffed onto a CDR it wouldn't really matter if only one of them was illegal in the UK it still wouldn't be allowed.

mr ploppy · 03-24-2010, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petercreasey

With all the free ebook sources, why would there be a market for SELLING ebooks on eBay?

The same reason there is a market for window cleaners, dog walkers, etc. It saves people the bother of doing it themselves.

But it isn't just PD books that are for sale on Ebay ...

sony_fox · 03-24-2010, 12:04 PM

Quote:

With all the free ebook sources, why would there be a market for SELLING ebooks on eBay

People don't think. Many items on Ebay are there are prices above they're new retail price. But people assume Ebay=bargain and shop without checking. Of coruse it's quicker to just go to ebay than check half a dozen other sites. And Tim e=Money.

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03-23-2010, 10:48 AM	#16
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I was going to ask the same thing myself. Why do you think that this would not be legal in the UK?

03-23-2010, 12:08 PM	#17
pietvo Reader Posts: 519 Karma: 24612 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Utrecht, NL Device: Kobo Aura 2, iPhone, iPad	To take a concrete example: Books by Shakespeare are still being sold in the UK, in spite of them being in the public domain. Do you think it would be illegal to sell ebook versions of them on Ebay (e.g. derived from PG files)? [I don't know why anybody would buy them instead of downloading them for free, but that's not the point.]

03-23-2010, 12:12 PM	#18
DawnFalcon Banned Posts: 2,094 Karma: 2682 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: N/A	Of course it's not illegal. You can charge for Public Domain works if you wish, it's entirely legitimate. And, yes, people can go and get their own PD version from wherever. You can add your own preface and do your own formatting and copyright /that/ of course, if you wish...and indeed certain versions of PD books sell for precisely that reason!

03-23-2010, 12:16 PM	#19
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	The only exception would be the comparatively small number of books which are in the public domain in the US, but not in the UK. Generally early works by long-lived authors.

03-23-2010, 01:45 PM	#22
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	There is also a large number that cannot, so saying that anything on PG can be sold (or even downloaded) in the UK is also misleading.

03-23-2010, 07:45 PM	#24
petercreasey Wizard Posts: 1,147 Karma: 1119516 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: Sony: PRS 950 & T1, Kobo: Aura One & Forma	With all the free ebook sources, why would there be a market for SELLING ebooks on eBay?

03-23-2010, 10:47 PM	#25
Ravensknight Serpent Rider Posts: 1,123 Karma: 10219804 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Sony 350; Nook STR; Oasis	With all the free ebook sources, why would there be a market for SELLING ebooks on eBay? N00bs :-) Seriously though, if someone who is not a techy gets a kindle or some other reader for Christmas or their birthday, they don't have the faintest idea of how to proceed. My cousin just bought a kindle, and while I consider him to be extremely competent, he is just overwhelmed at the moment. I suspect we'll be having several phone chats about it. Thankfully I've pointed him here, so I'm hoping he joins and reads...

03-24-2010, 05:20 AM	#26
pietvo Reader Posts: 519 Karma: 24612 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Utrecht, NL Device: Kobo Aura 2, iPhone, iPad	People with a Kindle are just supposed to shop at Amazon. (Sorry, my smileys don't work)

03-24-2010, 10:48 AM	#27
Keloff Electronic media explorer Posts: 64 Karma: 169796 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Pretoria, South Africa Device: Kindle (6" Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation), iPad 2	Don't hope I'm stepping on any toes here, but I find it morally objectionable to sell a PD book if the alternative is available through places such as Feedbooks or Project Gutenberg. Is this perhaps an overreaction? After all, I suppose that a really well prepared version of a PD book with explanatory notes, better formatting, etc., may be an added value -- hence its marketability.

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