Quote:
Originally Posted by Abecedary
And if those books have new introductions (which are copyrighted) or notes, are they not allowed to put DRM on those if they so choose? Or how about new translations? Lemurion and Madam Broshkina hit the nail on the head.
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Well they're 'allowed' to do whatever they like. They can sell each word for a dollar if they so choose. You know, because now we're in the realm of the hypothetical, they could change every other word to banana and charge you ten dollars for those words to be rectified. But seeing as what they've actually done is place DRM on otherwise untouched Public Domain works, we'll just have to deal with that, won't we?
DRM is a curse on normally copyrighted works (and one I will gladly fight tooth and nail against). It does not work, it never has worked, and does nothing to either help the author, publisher or reader. But lets put that aside for a moment and deal with works in the Public Domain. Works that enrich our culture as a whole. Works that are there so that we as a culture may be influenced and create new works from their ideas and leads. Placing a lock upon this culture is tantamount to denying access to this culture.
And If I hear one more time that tired old 'excuse' of "They're a business, they're in this to make money" I might vomit. Being in business doesn't mean you lose all social and cultural responsibility. Making money isn't a synonym for not caring.