Quote:
Originally Posted by Catlady
Yes, but a new edition will have new copyright information. The revised Nancy Drews have a different copyright date, for example. And the older versions still exist. Sure, it would be theoretically possible to obliterate them, but it is a lot easier to change or obliterate a digital file, and there'd be no real way for someone to know which is the original and which the revision.
Sure, but at least those sorts of markings are apparent--changes can be made to a digital file without anyone knowing. When I first got my e-reader, I downloaded some public domain books from sites other than Project Gutenberg, and later learned that they had been bowdlerized, without that being indicated anywhere. That's scary.
I thought so!  |
Sure you can change your copy of a book for whatever reason, only reason I use is formatting. But can someone else? And can they change all copies of your book if you have backups without tremendous effort? I find it mindboggling to think of the effort involved in changing all copies that everyone has. This has been done fairly effectively with paper by rounding up all known physical copies and destroying them and reprinting a politically correct version. I'm not talking Nancy Drew, but rather those books that disagree with a dictators actions or ideology for example.
What is perhaps scarier is that we are being led into a false sense of complaisance by companies scanning and storing digital copies of vast amounts works. Will our reliance be such that scanning errors could in time change part or all of the content. And all books lose something in translation. Could massive translation engines someday replace individual translators whose individual damage is limited?
I would not notice a change of copyright or accept it as sufficient notice that the book had been changed. But overall you are again right, if they burn all of our paper books we would probably notice.
Oh well, off to look up bowdlerized
Helen