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Originally Posted by Dave W
One poster said that you only buy a license and don't really own the book.
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That is false.
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I strongly disagree with that unless there is a license that you must read and agree to with each book you purchase that is similar to what you do when installing software.
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Actually, that isn't true either. Courts (at least in the US) have already ruled that if you are not expected to return the material, then it is a sale. Regardless of what the site you are purchasing it from says. It doesn't matter if they call it a "license", if they are selling you the material with the understanding that it is yours to keep, then it is a sale and you own that copy. If they tell you up front that it has to be returned or is only valid for a limited time (which they don't), then it would be a license.
According to the way that every eBook seller I've ever seen advertises their products, the customer owns the product.
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I believe that what should be the case, if it is not, is that my ebook purchase should be exactly like a paper book purchase. That is, when I am through with it, I can lend or give it to a friend to read. I can even sell it at a flea market or give it to my local library.
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According to copyright law, you can. The only thing preventing such use is DRM.
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The technology is there to prevent me from making copies of my book to distribute to multiple friends at the same time. There should be only one copy of my book circulating at any given time. That's the way paper works.
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Unfortunately, DRM goes beyond just preventing multiple copies. It also prevents fair use and the right of first sale, which would otherwise be legal. DRM does a lot more than attempt to protect copyright.