Quote:
Originally Posted by Angst
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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Are you a thief? No, of course not. Whatever some people may like to pretend, copying an ebook is not theft.
Are you a criminal? Perhaps - it depends whether or not DRM removal is a crime where you live?
Have you broken your civil contract with the bookstore or library? Almost unquestionably yes.
But the primary question I'd ask is this: why on Earth didn't you have a backup of your data? Did you think "it'll never happen to me?" There are only two sorts of disks in the world - those that have crashed, and those which are about to crash.