[sirmaru]

The real question is, if one buys a print book, does one have the right to make 2 backup copies on the new high speed, low cost laser printers we now have available? One could even use a utility and make a PDF file of the print book. SnagIt is one such utility.

The legal right to read the print book is only on the specific copy we purchased.

Because we have the power to make copies of print books, should we actually do it?

On another thread in this forum with a poll it appears almost everyone here does strip DRM from their eBooks. I have lots of old eBook files for the Sony and Adobe. I cannot read them on my Kindles.

I went to the Apprentice Alf site and read of how easy it is to download their tools and plug them into Calibre. The question for me is should I now release all those files to my Kindles?

It should be noted that Calibre, itself, has decided NOT to produce their own DRM removal tools but will accept the Alf plugin. Why did they make that choice?

So far I am choosing not to do this but others must make their own choice. If stripping of DRM led to sharing of those eBooks, then the economic model for writing and publishing books would collapse. Remember, once DRM is stripped, the next act without any real consequences would be sharing with friends and family.

This problem now exists in eBooks, songs and videos. Technology has swept past the rights of originators of those products.