View Single Post
Old 02-05-2010, 04:47 PM   #90
jmaloney
Connoisseur
jmaloney has learned how to read e-booksjmaloney has learned how to read e-booksjmaloney has learned how to read e-booksjmaloney has learned how to read e-booksjmaloney has learned how to read e-booksjmaloney has learned how to read e-booksjmaloney has learned how to read e-books
 
Posts: 95
Karma: 800
Join Date: Nov 2009
Device: Sony Reader Touch
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elfwreck View Post
(I tend to think this is a violation of the first sale doctrine, and would love to see a clever programming house figure out their own DRM method and start loaning out Macmillan ebooks, just to watch the sparks fly.)
I actually spoke to an Intellectual Property lawyer about this. The difference between physical books and ebooks is that the very act of downloading an ebook means that you're making a new copy of the ebook. The first sale doctrine only applies the the original product: I can't, for example, go out and buy a physical book, make copies of it and pass around those copies. This is why the legality of lending ebooks is not as straightforward.
jmaloney is offline   Reply With Quote