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Originally Posted by DNSB
As for the morality of removing DRM from library books? You don't own the book which is pretty much all that needs to be said.
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I own a small percentage of every book in the library. Because I pay taxes to buy those books. I should be able to use those books, just like every other library patron. 99% of them are just fine because they are in Kindle format. But I don't agree that the library should withhold some books - granted, a very small percentage - as "these books are only for other people, but not for you". It's the same thing when I borrow a DVD from my library. I am exclusively a Linux person. DVD's will play on Windows computers, but not on Linux computers (as they come "out of the box"). I have zero qualms about installing libdvdcss2 on my Linux computers so I can watch the DVD.
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You did notice that Apprentices Alf and Harper made it clear that they did not support removing DRM from loaned books?
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And what legal jeopardy would they be putting themselves into if they stated anything else besides this? Of course they are going to state this position publicly. They would be total idiots not to. It's the same reason this forum does not do allow discussions about DRM removal, even though the membership here are probably the worlds experts on the technique.
Is the "intent of DRM" to "prevent theft", or "to make it difficult for people to read books"? Most people would think it's the former. So if you're just trying to get a book readable on your Kindle for the time it takes you to read it, and not giving it to others or keeping it permanently for yourself, are you breaking the "intent of DRM"? Remember, it's illegal to remove DRM period, even from books that you own. At least that's the case in the USA. Many people - probably everyone on this forum - does it anyway. I don't know about your laws in Canada. But even if Canada allows you to remove DRM, wouldn't it be "immoral" for them to do so, given it's illegal in the country where the author lives (assuming they live in the USA for the purposes of this discussion)? IMHO, using DRM removal to facilitate reasonable and personal temporary use of something you have legally obtained should not be a big issue, even for the chronic virtue signalers. Using it to steal something or give it to others who should not have access is a totally different thing. We shouldn't conflate these two different scenarios.