Quote:
Originally Posted by Angst
This is closely related to pdurrant's thread, but represents an actual situation, not a theoretical question.
I recently lost my entire ebook library due to a hard disk crash. I was able to recover about 150 of 250 ebooks. I have since taken great pains to ensure my ebooks are now backed up to disk.
I can no longer download many of the books I bought, especially from FictionWise. I can't download any of the Microsoft reader books I bought, from any site. In some cases, I hadn't even read the ebooks yet! They were on my TBR list. However, I can "borrow" some of the ebooks from the library.
So here's my question:
Is it ethical for me to strip the DRM from the library copy and save a copy to my hard disk?
1. I've paid for the book.
2. Both the author and publisher have been compensated for their work.
3. I am entitled to the content I paid for.
or
1. They're my ebooks; I'm responsible for saving/losing them.
2. If I had a fire and lost a pbook, I would not be eligible for any "refund".
3. Tough luck.
Thoughts? |
Putting aside the fact that books are leased an not bought. Let's look at it from a pure "purchase" standpoint
When you buy something, eBook, pBook, music CD, DVD or an ice cream cone,--bare with me here-- you have access to the media until it's no longer usable, damaged, lost, eaten. If you break a CD do you have the right to go to pirate the songs, what about going to the same store and "borrowing" a CD.
Getting to the ice cream cone. What happens if you drop the ice cream cone outside the store without even getting so much as a lick. Do you go back to the establishment and demand a new cone.
Point is you have the right to remove DRM and backup your copies. But going to the public library and removing the DRM is another thing.
=X=