Comments on: In which I finally buy an ebook

By: JacksonWhite IP Law

JacksonWhite IP Law — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:27:22 +0000

Copyright laws on digital media is a firestorm. The ability to replicate and mass distribute at relatively no additional cost is a scary thing for any author or publisher. The internet is such a wild and undeveloped relm that it is hard to enforce the same laws that apply to a physical book.

By: Zack Taylor

Zack Taylor — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 19:15:46 +0000

What I would like to see is an electronic outlet that provides full disclosure and allows unknown writers to submit books without much if any screening. With modern technology unknown authors could have an opportunity to submit a book to an E-Book store and inform the customer how much of the price is going to the author and how much to the on-line book store. The cost of E-publishing is minimal so just about anyone could probably submit it then they would only have to worry about getting the word out. Some grass roots outlets might promote their favorite books. Authors without attention from the commercial media or prominent placing at big-Box book stores could have a chance. As it stands high profile books are chosen by a small number of people with connections with promotional outlets decide what to promote and what not to. If anyone can submit their books and more people learn that the recommendations by many corporations are, well, frankly, pathetic.

This could give more opportunity for good authors and enable the customer to know how their money is being spent. There should be no need to reward publishing companies and copyright attorneys when many of the best authors are being shut out or rewarded only if they meet the criteria chosen by corporate CEOs that decide which types of books to promote and which not to. Some of the good authors could even use this as a stepping stone to traditional print publishing by deve4loping a reputation that enables larger sales.

Also with non-fiction it would be a good idea for many good authors that aren’t primarily concerned with profit to have an opportunity to donate their copyright to the public domain after they receive adequate coverage for their expenses and labor. For example an author like Bill McKibbon author of “Eaarth” or Susan Linn author of “Consuming Kids” who is as concerned about getting an important message out could provide a copy to such an E-Book outlet on the condition that as soon as they collect a certain amount of money their book would be free to all and it would enable people to educate more about protecting the planet and stopping corporate manipulation of children.

By: John Mark Ockerbloom

John Mark Ockerbloom — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 22:48:05 +0000

One can make a fair use argument for “format shifting” your own books, though how well it would stand up in court (if it came to that) might vary depending on exactly what you’re doing with the books. HathiTrust just won a case where it was sued for keeping digital copies of copyrighted books for searching, nonconsumptive research, preservation, and access for disabled readers, though. See details at

http://www.hathitrust.org/updates_september2012

The Internet Archive also has a digital book lending program which seems to include in-copyright books, while at the same time collecting a physical archive of as many books as it can. I don’t know for sure if they’re doing lending based on the “format shifting” argument you make above, but those moves would be consistent with that philosophy. (They seem to be limiting the program to books that are out of print, though, or online with special rightsholder arrangement.)

By: Pi

Pi — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 14:15:43 +0000

Somewhat off topic but tangentially related.. in the United States if I buy a book I understand that I am able to lend it, rent it or sell it. However I’ve always wondered what law or doctrine prevents me from “format shifting” the physical book by digitizing it (which I know can be done for convenient personal use) and then destroying the physical book (or otherwise keeping the book safe to ensure that the physical copy is not used for something else at the same time) and then allowing someone to borrow the digital copy or even renting it?

By: John Mark Ockerbloom

John Mark Ockerbloom — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 01:11:07 +0000

They do, as I mentioned in my previous post, and I own Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan series in DRM-free ebooks thanks to Baen. But I got those bundled with the hardcover edition of Cryoburn, rather than buying them specifically in an ebook transaction.

There aren’t that many other Baen authors I read regularly, though, so I haven’t had the occasion to buy more ebooks from them. But those who like their authors (or have a special fondness for military SF, the subgenre they’re best known for) might want to check them out.

By: Corey

Corey — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 21:33:30 +0000

Not sure about you other points or if they sell the kind of books you like to read, but Baen has the DRM-free, format thing down.

http://baen.com/

By: Dan Scott

Dan Scott — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 14:56:04 +0000

(off-topic) Oh, looks like OpenID sort-of works here, it’s just a bit broken; had to use a different email address than I normally do. (/off-topic)

By: Dan Scott

Dan Scott — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 14:54:17 +0000

The description for Redshirts on Google Play actually says, and said yesterday: “At the publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied.” (https://play.google.com/store/books/details/John_Scalzi_Redshirts?id=2myG-uWq5zQC)

You have to click “More” to see it, and you have to read the description, but it’s there.

(And, speaking of watching over the shoulder… I have to log in with a WordPress, Twitter, or Facebook account to leave a comment? Okay…)