Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
I wouldn't bet on that being the case. In the US, for example, Real Networks were banned from selling their DVD Backup program because the judge in the case ruled that having the right to make a backup did NOT grant the right to circumvent DRM in order to do so.
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I've looked it up. It's not clear, with regard to e-books.
With regard to copying media:
- Yes, you have the right to create copies of any media for own use and backup.
- You don't have that right with regard to books.
Eh. Is an e-book a "book", or is it "media"? Actually, some say they're a "software service".
They DON'T follow the "minimum book price" used in the Netherlands. They DON'T get the low VAT (6%), because these "books" are not paper books. However, they also DON'T seem follow some of the rules/definitions required to be clearly marked as a software service.
So, what is an e-book, really? Not yet officially determined. If it is a book, it may not officially be copied. (Will that preclude backups as well? And putting it onto an e-reader is making a copy as well, isn't it?) If it's not a book but a file akin to an MP3 file, it may be copied. If it's a software service, they'd fall under software copyright, which is completely different (downloading not allowed, copying not allowed).
Confusion.
With regard to removing copy protection:
- No, you are NOT allowed to remove it, not even to make copies for personal use.
- But, that is only the case if a copy protection is deemed to be effective. If it is deemed as not being effective, it may be removed.
Is an e-book DRM effective? Not determined yet.
The only ruling that comes close is with regard to DeCSS for DVD's. A Finnish court ruled that the DeCSS tools and software that uses them are so easily obtainable, and so easy to use, that DeCSS can be classified as "not effective". Removing it is allowed.
I suspect that if there ever is a ruling, the availability and ease-of-use of the Alf tools will mark current e-book DRM as not effective, and thus it may be removed. (It's as easy to use Alf through Calibre as it is to use DeCSS through any number of DVD-rippers.)
(This seems to state that as long as a copy protection isn't cracked, it's effective, and it may not be removed. As soon as it's cracked and removal can be easily done, it can be removed because it's not effective anymore.)
Sticky...
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In the end, at this point in time, it comes down to this, at least in the Netherlands: If you don't upload or distribute any files, nobody cares a fracking peanut what you're doing.
If they did, it would be unenforcable; would you send the police to random houses to check on people if they hae removed DRM form their media or e-books? I don't see it happening.