You are not the owner of Amazon Ebooks

[Rizla]

If one only buys a license to read a book, how long is the license for? Or is it unspecified, and as such, the seller can withdrew the license at any point? And would they need to give a refund?

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by Rizla

If one only buys a license to read a book, how long is the license for? Or is it unspecified, and as such, the seller can withdrew the license at any point? And would they need to give a refund?

AFAIK it is unspecified except for library books and while it could possibly be revoked, I do not see this as a likely occurrence. It would be impractical to track every copy of a book on every device, DVD/USB key etc.

Plus it would cut down on a lot of sales as many people buy books in advance it seems and may not read them for years. (see the ebook addicts buying thread) although most people I know buy a book or set of books and read it/them before buying more.

And for those of us who are fortunate to have a good library where the majority of the books we want to read are carried, life is good DRM or not.

Helen

[Meka1069]

Originally Posted by Apache

Nope. Read the T&C and you will see that it is licensed to you from God and He retains the rights to your soul. After you die it is returned to God.
Apache

Amen!!!

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

How many here have never resold a physical book, or record/8-track/cassette/cd, or a videotape/laserdisk/DVD (that they purchased new) in their life? I'm not defending/championing anything here, just asking a question.

*raises hand*

*raises hand*

[Skeeve]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

How many here have never resold a physical book, or record/8-track/cassette/cd, or a videotape/laserdisk/DVD (that they purchased new) in their life? I'm not defending/championing anything here, just asking a question.

*raises hand*

Not sold, but given away for free. The T&C of Amazon does not allow this for ebooks bought from them.

[avantman42]

Originally Posted by Skeeve

Not sold, but given away for free. The T&C of Amazon does not allow this for ebooks bought from them.

Same with Smashwords. I suspect it's the same with most, if not all, ebook vendors.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Rizla

If one only buys a license to read a book, how long is the license for? Or is it unspecified, and as such, the seller can withdrew the license at any point? And would they need to give a refund?

It will vary by retailer but unless the Terms specifically say they can, they can't.

There have been attempts to sell expiring-license ebooks (Sony, for one) and pbooks but neither ever got far.
Indeed, right now a textbook publisher is trying it with their legal texts. No refunds.
http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...aper-textbook/

In practical terms, DRM-free ebooks are yours to read forever.

DRM'ed ebooks are yours to read as long as the authentication servers are active for most forms of encryption DRM and as long as you have software (or devices) that can open the file for watermark and eReader DRM titles.

One consequence of the licensed approach is that you aren't buying a file so you get to download it as many times as you need to, usually to different devices. This was not always so. In earlier times some retailers sold you one encrypted file, licenced to one device. You lost the file? Tough luck--you don't get a free replacement pbook if you lose it or your dog eats it, do you?

Folks like to harp on the limitations of ebook licenses but many conveniently forget the pluses. The two products may be superficially similar but they are really very different in terms of what you are paying for.

The old saying "you get what you pay for" has a modern corollary: "...so you'd better know what you're paying for".

With a pbook, CD, or DVD you are paying for the media, not the contents. With the digital equivalents, you are paying for access to the content.

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

It will vary by retailer but unless the Terms specifically say they can, they can't.

There have been attempts to sell expiring-license ebooks (Sony, for one) and pbooks but neither ever got far.
Indeed, right now a textbook publisher is trying it with their legal texts. No refunds.
http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...aper-textbook/

In practical terms, DRM-free ebooks are yours to read forever.

DRM'ed ebooks are yours to read as long as the authentication servers are active for most forms of encryption DRM and as long as you have software (or devices) that can open the file for watermark and eReader DRM titles.

One consequence of the licensed approach is that you aren't buying a file so you get to download it as many times as you need to, usually to different devices. This was not always so. In earlier times some retailers sold you one encrypted file, licenced to one device. You lost the file? Tough luck--you don't get a free replacement pbook if you lose it or your dog eats it, do you?

Folks like to harp on the limitations of ebook licenses but many conveniently forget the pluses. The two products may be superficially similar but they are really very different in terms of what you are paying for.

The old saying "you get what you pay for" has a modern corollary: "...so you'd better know what you're paying for".

With a pbook, CD, or DVD you are paying for the media, not the contents. With the digital equivalents, you are paying for access to the content.

Good explanation. Sometimes less is more for me anyway.

Ownership is a fragile concept at times. Even when fully paid for and legally owned most things can be removed from our possession by theft, loss or the government deciding it is in the public interest.

Hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.

Helen

[howyoudoin]

I've resold books before. It isn't a badge of honour to only give them away for free.

[jviscosi]

I haven't resold any media in years, but I resold CDs all the time in college. I remember making up at least one month's rent shortfall via used CD sales ...

Till now the discussion is focused on "T&C" set by companies and Legal aspects of the digital Content .
Let's take out legality and the absurd T&C , and bring in some Practicality to this discussion .
Practically speaking it is weird that you are only licensed to a particular digital content and the company can withdraw that license anytime.
And it has happened to someone . He was traveling to Singapore and as soon as he reached there all of the digital content i.e. eBooks he had bought vanished, as it was a no eBooks zone.
This is ridiculous. If I had paid for something, I fully own that thing .

The T& C set by the companies are always according to their own convenience .
If any thing is done out side the purview of that it becomes illegal.

[howyoudoin]

Originally Posted by arsingh1

And it has happened to someone . He was traveling to Singapore and as soon as he reached there all of the digital content i.e. eBooks he had bought vanished, as it was a no eBooks zone

Strange. This sort of thing would have been all over the news. It's much worse than the Amazon-1984 fiasco. Which store did he purchase his books from??

[rkomar]

The ebooks are licensed only to the original purchaser. They can't be transferred to anyone else. So, when Life+70 years rolls around way in the future, how many of these original copies will be around to enter the public domain? Better hope that paper books don't entirely disappear,or it will be as if most authors from now never existed.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by arsingh1

If I had paid for something, I fully own that thing .

Absolutely.
But you only own what you actually bought, not what you think you bought and not what you think they should have sold you.

That is the practical reality of it.
You can only buy what is offered for sale and what is actually offered is print books and digital licenses. That's the choice today.

[Vmurph]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Of course, pretty much the same is true with paper books, too. You're buying the physical media - the paper, ink, and glue. You don't own the content of the book.

But paper + ink + glue = something I can legally sell on eBay or at a garage sale.
I can't plagiarize it, but I can sell it. eBooks that we purchase cannot be legally resold.