[DaronFraley]

I saw a discussion on another thread about Geo-Restricted ebooks, and it reminded me of something I have been thinking about for a while.

At first glance, I think Geo-Restricted ebooks is a ridiculous idea.

Physical books are different in some ways from ebooks. Brick and mortar stores stock the books. Those books have been received through distribution channels where shipping costs are involved. From what I understand, they are usually shipped within the country where they were printed. Don't publishers or agents sell publication and distribution rights to a publishing house in the other country so that they can avoid the huge expense of shipping across borders and yet still make some money on the deal?

But with ebooks, we are talking about the internet as the distribution medium. Distribution happens in seconds, without trucks, boxes, or people handling the stock.

Therefore, doesn't it make more sense for ebook rights to be split up by language? Then if a book is translated to German, it could be sold in any country where German speaking readers live?

Perhaps I am totally clueless about how foreign rights work, and why ebooks are geographically restricted. If so, enlighten me.