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Originally Posted by ATDrake
...there's the additional consideration that PG Australia also hosts works by authors dead long enough that they would be PD in countries with longer copyright spans as well (etc)
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To be clear, I definitely support PD releases where appropriate.
That said, I don't think the technical problems are all that difficult:
• Use IP geolocation software to automatically determine the likely location of the downloader, and block specified nations.
• Only apply it when the rights holder complains.
http://www.ipligence.com/ for example offers IP geolocation info, with updates, for as low as $40/year. Obviously there's more to it than installing an app on a web server or two, but it's hardly like they will need to spend hundreds of hours per week blocking IP's.
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Originally Posted by ATDrake
An international ebookstore like Kobo has incentive to work that way.... A non-profit volunteer organization like Gutenberg doesn't.
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A distributor is a distributor, period. In terms of copyright they have the same obligations.
PG will have fewer
resources at their disposal, but the same responsibilities.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by ATDrake
Also, I find that their notices are fairly prominent, across all the Project Gutenbergs.... [I]t's on the individual not to abuse any service that clearly and repeatedly spells out the rules, and not on the service to hedge itself about to the point where it begins to hobble its intended purpose, on the assumption that everyone is a potential abuser just waiting for their chance.
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In the US, you need to be 18 to buy cigarettes and 21 to buy alcohol. It is the responsibility of
both the buyer and the seller to avoid selling smokes and beer to a 16 year old.
The idea that PG has absolutely no responsibility in this matter, and are incapable of doing anything at all to address it, just doesn't wash.
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Originally Posted by ATDrake
they do respond when copyright holders contact them with legitimate complaints.
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OK, but this
is a legit complaint.
Gone With the Wind is not PD in the US and many other nations, so it should not be distributed in those countries on a PD basis.
Again I don't think they should pull the ebook altogether, but they should make a good-faith effort to honor international copyright laws while still distributing it as PD where applicable.