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Originally Posted by DiapDealer
I fail to see why so many struggle to do so.
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If I bought a lot of books directly (as opposed to indirectly through my tax dollars), it might be less of a struggle
But as I see it, the whole idea of copyright it to make the book expensive so that creators (not just the author, but the whole team who created the book) get incentivized to do the best job possible. The guilty publishers were just doing, in the US, what they are legally required to do in other countries, and I don't see why our way is better for society.
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Besides... how is copyright a monopoly granted to the publisher? The publisher isn't the rights holder. They've simply negotiated a contract with the rights holder.
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It all depends. In the case of most of the books I read, the copyright notice says it is copyrighted by the author, but the contract you mentioned basically transfers the rights to the publisher for many years. As for the
book I am currently reading, the notice reads: "Copyright © 2000 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College." Since the Kindle edition is $52.80 (with no big-six involvement), I'm reading a paper copy from the Philadelphia library. I hope and presume the price is set where it is to maximize revenue to the author and publisher.