Newbie on Calibre, Chagrined re eBook Inheritance Rights

[COHikerGirl]

I'm experimenting with use of Calibre to augment my Kindle usage. (I own 3, not counting one I forgot in an airline seat pocket <argh>; I've bought them for my elderly parents, my nieces and nephews and grandkids.)

Sharing, loaning, and management of the content and category structures are a challenge as it is, even as a retired software engineer, and I hope Calibre may prove helpful.

Initially, just now, I'm growling viciously at the inheritance issues occasioned by my 94-yr-old dad's passing in May 2020: specifically, the IMO f@#$-up concept of 'leasing' rather than 'owning' the eBook content one has purchased. IMO, I should be able to read my Dad's eBooks just as I've inherited his physical books. It's outrageous to me to be denied that insight.
Happily, as he was quite elderly and required regular technical assistance, I DO have his passwords and account access.

But it annoys me that I (and others) can't simply provide a Death Certificate, perhaps a copy of a decedent's Will, and have that person's library of eBooks transferred to one's own Amazon account / Kindle library by the Amazon customer service staff. I do believe Rhode Island has the right idea on legislating such inheritance rights. My two cents' worth, should you like to provide your own opinions on the topic ... and not diving into the DRM bugaboo, specifically.

[Sirtel]

Hello and welcome to MobileRead!

Personally I have no such issues, as ebooks aren't popular here and I don't know anyone besides myself who reads them on a regular basis. Moreover, local ebooks have no DRM, only watermarks. As far as opinions go, methinks it's stupid to leave the DRM in place when one wants someone else to read their ebooks after their passing, no matter what the law says. Of course in my opinion it's also stupid to leave the DRM intact in any case.

[Deskisamess]

We've shared account info with the only family member who could have any interest in our digital books. But really, even she won't be interested in 80% of the books on my account.

My husband and I use one Amazon account for all of our books, beyond that, it's not a concern for us.

[COHikerGirl]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Hello and welcome to MobileRead!

Personally I have no such issues, as ebooks aren't popular here and I don't know anyone besides myself who reads them on a regular basis. Moreover, local ebooks have no DRM, only watermarks. As far as opinions go, methinks it's stupid to leave the DRM in place when one wants someone else to read their ebooks after their passing, no matter what the law says. Of course in my opinion it's also stupid to leave the DRM intact in any case.

Thus, my investigation into DeDRM ... <chuckle>. But quite apart from that, I object to the 'lifetime license' concept as opposed to eBook *ownership*. DRM just happens to be one tool that empowers The Powers That Be to impose that ridiculous, and IMO unethical restriction of inheritance rights.

[COHikerGirl]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

We've shared account info with the only family member who could have any interest in our digital books. But really, even she won't be interested in 80% of the books on my account.

My husband and I use one Amazon account for all of our books, beyond that, it's not a concern for us.

I get that. And more power to you. It won't be an issue for everyone, of course.

But my Dad and I shared a love of SciFi, and although we vehemently disagreed politically we'd reach each other's books so as to at least understand one another's mindset, as a means of building tolerance. Sharing books and gift-giving of books was central to what worked in our relationship. To read the books my Dad was halfway through, at the time he suffered a massive stroke, is something of a mitzvah for me. (And I'm doing whatever it takes to be able to ...)

Apart from my own issue, on the larger scale I simply don't think any heir who wants such access should be denied.

For me, the insight into someone's soul and psyche that is afforded by reading through their library is sacrosanct. And not something that should be denied by book sellers refusing free access to at least one heir.

[Deskisamess]

Share account info, problem is solved. Download all the books into Calibre and free them from DRM. Problem solved, for a family member or heir. (Although I don't encourage readers to give out their books to just everyone, that's piracy)

Digital content laws have not kept up with development, that's for sure. But it's not huge on my concern list.

[COHikerGirl]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

Share account info, problem is solved. Download all the books into Calibre and free them from DRM. Problem solved, for a family member or heir. (Although I don't encourage readers to give out their books to just everyone, that's piracy)

Digital content laws have not kept up with development, that's for sure. But it's not huge on my concern list.

I concur, they haven't kept up with development, and they flout social convention that's been in place cross-culturally since the very invention of books.

As to its importance as a concern, that's understandable -- even for those TRYING to behave in a legal as well as ethical manner, the issue only arises once you find yourself in that position (facing one's own death or the passing of another). And that's a prime reason why it doesn't command the attention it would require to raise the issue more effectively, in the courts and legislatures.