Quote:
Originally Posted by leaston
You could also scan a copy of a pbook you own and then give a copy to someone. It doesn't mean you will.
You're doing the same as HarryT and making assumptions about possible future illegal activities that may or may not happen. How can that be a valid argument?
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First I'm not making the same argument as HarryT in this instance. AFAIUI he's arguing lending of ebooks = illegal copying = loss of sales. I'm simply arguing against your assertion that lending is not illegal copying.
And actually the point where I stepped in was because you seemed to be even denying it was copying at all. That stuff about there being no 2nd copy.
I brought up the access to the online version, not to say you may, in the future commit an illegal activity but to point out how lending of an ebook is different in nature to lending a paper book.
But since we're talking about the legality, the copying is illegal at the point where you make a copy and you do not have authorisation to do so. i.e. it's at the point where you lend outside the provisions of the license the copyright owner has given you. So at the point where I give you a copy of an ebook I've already breached copyright regardless of whether I delete the original or not. So it's not about predicting the future, it's about what has already happened.
Note, I'm not talking about whether I think this is right or wrong, or whether it causes harm or loss of sales. I'm simply trying to point out that a) it is illegal and b) ebooks and pbooks are not the same.
The later is something of a hobby-horse of mine because I strongly believe that unless we settle this we can't have sensible discussions about what we should and shouldn't be allowed to do. This is true regardless of where you stand on the ethics of lending and the possible harm it causes.
(In the above I am assuming that "lending" an ebook involves simply sharing a non-DRMed file, not using any authorised lending mechanism set up by e.g. Amazon.)