[emellaich]

There are two different angles to consider the original request/comment. First, is through legal means, second it through the market.

In my opinion (and this is only my opinion, I'm not stating it as fact!) creators can and should retain full legal rights to their own work. If they choose to give it away - fine. If they choose to sell it for $10,000 per copy -- that's OK too. If they want to charge more for each edition that is also their right.

However, the market, and each of us through our buying habits, can support and encourage pricing that we find attractive. For years, I have been buying most of my books from Baen. In many cases, when you buy a Baen hardback you get a CD with the same book in e-form.

If you won't sell me a book in a form that is flexible in its use and reasonably priced, then I have the right to decide to buy books from someone else.

Here is where my logic is tested, however. Long before ebooks, I was 'hooked' on the Dorsai series by Gordon Dickson. Many of these are not in print, nor in e-book form. Since Dickson passed away a few years ago, I don't have great hopes for them being re-released. So, although its easy to 'stay away' from books I have never read; it is more difficult to do so when I am already 'hooked' on the product.

I'm not sure that Dickson's books are truly abandoned -- I imagine he has some heirs somewhere about. But it is this category that Google is trying to address. I can see both sides of this issue. I believe that what Google is doing is illegal. I also believe that their intent fits with their mantra of: 'doing no evil' and will both help society and help the original (deceased?) authors achieve their slice of immortality.