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I am still curious wither I bought the physical files or a license to the content of the ebooks.
I think most of the problem understanding this question arises from comparing ebooks to pbooks. Let me construct an example that relies only on the digital world.
1. I buy a copy of Windows 7. My hard disk crashes. I lost the install disks, but I still have the key. I reinstall Windows 7 from a friend's disk.
2. I buy an ebook. My hard disk crashes. I lost the original file. I copy (install) the file from a friend's disk.
Question: Am I a thief?
Answer: No
1. I bought a license to use Windows 7. It doesn't matter where the physical files come from.
2. I bought a license to the content of the book. It doesn't matter where the physical files come from.
Answer: Yes.
1. Because the files on my disk weren't physically mine, I am a thief.
2. Because the files on my disk weren't physically mine, I am a thief.
I think most people, including Microsoft, would agree that the answer to example 1, (Windows), is no. Why should the answer to example 2, (ebook), be any different?
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