Quote:
Originally Posted by stonetools
The point of course is that ebooks ARE software. What's quite certain is that they are not physical objects that can be "donated" or "resold". When you "share' an ebook, what you actually do is send a copy of the file to someone else-the original file stays with you. Indeed, you can "share" a book an unlimited number of times, and with total strangers, at no cost to you, while keeping the original -an impossibility with an actual book.
|
No, they are not software. They are books. Software does something. Books are passive, whether they are paper books or digital books.
Quote:
What needs to be done, ,I think, is:
1. The publishers and booksellers need to be much more upfront in telling end users that ebooks are software and are sold and licensed as much.
|
Right, like this is gonna happen. "Book buyer, you may buy this digital file to use according to the rules we made up that deny you any fair use of this material, and lock you in to one bookstore and device. Or you can buy this paper copy to do with as you like, to own forever and lend and resell. Oh, and we're going to charge you more for the restricted digital copy, because we can."
Quote:
|
2. THere should be legislation setting out exactly what ebooks and other digital media are , and what are the rights of both content creator and consumer. The current situation just leads to frustration and confusion on the part of creator and conmsumer, who both feel that their rights are being slighted. There is no question in my mind that the current law is inadequate to the situation.
|
DRM is not a matter of law. Copyright is copyright is copyright, no matter if the book is paper or digital. New laws aren't needed (except in the matter of making the term of copyright a lot more sensible); what's needed is some common sense.