Pocket Premium for 5$ a month - is it worth it?

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by HarryT

You would technically be so in England. Format-shifting copyrighted material is illegal here (but it's a law that's never been enforced, to the best of my knowledge). You're breaking the law here if you buy a CD, and rip it as MP3 files, for example.

Nope, been legal all month
http://www.ipo.gov.uk/copyright-exceptions.htm

Finally got approved by parliament on June 1st
DRM Removal is still illegal , but format shifting / copying anything other than software (and they worded it pretty carefully to future proof it) is now fine for personal use.

All the detail are in the Personal Copies for private use but the pertinant section is
-----------
(5) In subsection (1)(b) “private use” includes private use facilitated by the making of a copy—
(a)as a back up copy,
(b)for the purposes of format-shifting, or
(c)for the purposes of storage, including in an electronic storage area accessed by means of the internet or similar means which is accessible only by the individual (and the person responsible for the storage area).
-----------

So pretty much the only loophole they left is if someone categorises all electronic media as software.

Interestingly, in the next section, they have set the groundword for lending digital files without express permission of the copyright holder which should lead to some interesting interpretations.
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(6) Copyright in a work is infringed if an individual transfers a personal copy of the work to another person (otherwise than on a private and temporary basis), except where the transfer is authorised by the copyright owner.
-----------

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I would personally make a clear distinction between the downloading of pages by a web browser (which is a download necessary to the operation of the web browser), and the conversion of a web site into an eBook, which then has an existence entirely separate from that of the web site. The latter activity seems awfully like copyright infringement to me.

I'm not alone in this view, by the way. Caltech actively issues takedown notices to anyone who create ebooks versions of their web site which has the Feynman lectures on it (http://www.feynmanlectures.caltech.edu).

Hmmm.
I often print something to pdf using the browser to do so. These are single pages which I do not share or publish.

I assumed from his first post on this issue that this is pretty much what Ken Maltby does as well.

I am probably completely wrong but I thought that the copyright infringement was in the distribution or publication, and not in copying for personal use?

Helen

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Hmmm.
I often print something to pdf using the browser to do so. These are single pages which I do not share or publish.

I assumed from his first post on this issue that this is pretty much what Ken Maltby does as well.

I am probably completely wrong but I thought that the copyright infringement was in the distribution or publication, and not in copying for personal use?

Helen

That is why we have the Fair Use doctrine... but it is arguably still illegal.

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

That is why we have the Fair Use doctrine... but it is arguably still illegal.

Well I am pretty safe as I just print payment confirmations and that kind of thing.

I don't see it as much different then copying it to pocket, scanning your own book or even photocopying.

Photocopying was illegal in Canada I believe, along with recording music and other similar activities. Then they put a levy on paper and tapes and CDs. I think it was probably because it was to widespread to police.

So can anyone tell me why it is legal to send to pocket and read it on a different device? I assume it is legal as it all content is available no matter where I log in, and while not a pdf or an epub, html is a valid format for ebooks.

Helen

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Well I am pretty safe as I just print payment confirmations and that kind of thing.

I don't see it as much different then copying it to pocket, scanning your own book or even photocopying.

Photocopying was illegal in Canada I believe, along with recording music and other similar activities. Then they put a levy on paper and tapes and CDs. I think it was probably because it was to widespread to police.

So can anyone tell me why it is legal to send to pocket and read it on a different device? I assume it is legal as it all content is available no matter where I log in, and while not a pdf or an epub, html is a valid format for ebooks.

Helen

It is no more legal than printing it. Happens to be, I am still not sure why it should be illegal, but I guess according to some people you are breaking the law.

Is there actually a print button on the confirmation page? If not, you may be in trouble....

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

It is no more legal than printing it. Happens to be, I am still not sure why it should be illegal, but I guess according to some people you are breaking the law.

Is there actually a print button on the confirmation page? If not, you may be in trouble....

There is a view in print format or something similar usually IIRC.

Pretty sure it is not illegal in Canada as printing/copying for your own use is generally not illegal.

I think they passed a law two or three years ago against downloading but it is pretty wimpy I am told and may not be enforceable. Until then it was 100% legal to download anything, just illegal to upload it. Like that makes a lot of sense eh!

But again my question is why can pocket make a copy for you legally?

Helen

[shalym]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

But again my question is why can pocket make a copy for you legally?

Helen

Pocket, and Kindle, too. Kindle not only makes a copy and can send it to your reader, it will also store it in the cloud for you so that you can access it on any reader on your account.

Shari

[Hellmark]

I have noticed many apps going subscription, which is infuriating when many don't offer much in the way of a service. One instant messaging app I looked into the other day had a yearly subscription, and it is just a third party client. They don't offer any service, you use it to connect to AIM, MSN, Gtalk, etc. I hope this tend does not continue.

[Jessica Lares]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

I have noticed many apps going subscription, which is infuriating when many don't offer much in the way of a service. One instant messaging app I looked into the other day had a yearly subscription, and it is just a third party client. They don't offer any service, you use it to connect to AIM, MSN, Gtalk, etc. I hope this tend does not continue.

Agree. I don't mind Evernote, and a file sharing service with monthly/yearly subscriptions, because I get so much out of them. But it amazes me that Instapaper is praised for its paid highlighting feature and nobody seems to be bothered by it.

What I like most about Evernote is that they give you so many options when it comes to getting Premium, like referring people, and then buying their physical products. So it's easy enough just to go buy a their pretty nice $12 notebook, and get three months of it with it.

[Alfy]

How did this thread become about the legalities of printing web pages? And it's ridiculous: nobody will ever sue you for printing out web pages or transferring them to your ereader. Not sure why every single aspect of copyright law gets discussed when talking about something millions of people do every year without hassle...

[shalym]

Originally Posted by Alfy

How did this thread become about the legalities of printing web pages? And it's ridiculous: nobody will ever sue you for printing out web pages or transferring them to your ereader. Not sure why every single aspect of copyright law gets discussed when talking about something millions of people do every year without hassle...

That branch of the discussion started because someone asserted that services such as Pocket are illegal to use, because it's not legal to save web pages in other formats--indeed, it's apparently not even legal to print the page unless permission is specifically granted by the copyright holder. The rest of it is simply pointing out how ludicrous that position actually is.

Shari

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by shalym

That branch of the discussion started because someone asserted that services such as Pocket are illegal to use, because it's not legal to save web pages in other formats--indeed, it's apparently not even legal to print the page unless permission is specifically granted by the copyright holder. The rest of it is simply pointing out how ludicrous that position actually is.

Shari

Hmm. I thought it was about pointing out how stupid the law is, for talking without thinking about what it is actually saying.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Hmm. I thought it was about pointing out how stupid the law is, for talking without thinking about what it is actually saying.

That's what I was talking about, sorry--the law is ludicrous, not the person who pointed it out.

Shari

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by shalym

That's what I was talking about, sorry--the law is ludicrous, not the person who pointed it out.

Shari

</phew> you had me worried!