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Originally Posted by HarryT
Sorry, but I don't think that it makes sense at all. There's nothing illegal about exclusive distribution deals, and in most of the western nations we live in, the government does not interfere in free trade.
It's not as if there's any shortage of books to read. If one book isn't available on the platform you want to read it on, read another.
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Not necessarily a clean win on your part. There are investigations on whether exclusive mobile phone deals like the iPhone with AT&T are legal. It may not turn into a case but still is considered worth investigating. Which would not be the case if your statement was considered to be law.
I don't agree with the government regarding Microsoft but that was about tieing the browser to the OS. People still were able to download other browsers but it was considered to be a disadvantage that warranted antitrust action. Here we can't even purchase a mobipocket book if iRex doesn't allow it. The reader was originally purchased with this function. Who said they can just take away a major function of the reader. Of course there is probably no case because iRex is not considered to have the kind of marketshare that would stifle competition.
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The lack of an eBook does not prevent you from reading it. Buy a paper version or go to the library. How would you have read it before the invention of eBooks?
You seem to be implying that you have some "right" to an eBook.
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If I download the upgrade that offers epub and my Mobipocket books are now locked that has to be a problem. I purchased the reader for mobipocket books. I bought the books and iRex should not be able to say never mind you don't have to load the ROM. Because one day a new ROM will come around with very compelling improvements and are you going to tell me, if you want the Mobipocket books then I cannot download the ROM. I can't use the reader with all the bug fixes and enhancements that others are enjoying. This is not right. I bought the reader with the expectations of being able to download the new operational improvements and continue to buy mobipocket books.
A hypothetical that can't happen but I am sure there are better examples of real situations. This is to ask what if companies could make a change when it was to their liking.
What if one day you take your car into repair and they change it to an electric vehicle. You live in the city, in an apartment where you cannot plug in and there are no gas stations in the area that provide electrical battery charging. Your car is now a brick. But who said you had a right to a gas car?