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Topic: Security

Supporting the Free Software Foundation's day against DRM

Summary: Why is is okay for me to give or loan a book to a friend but not okay to do the same thing, with the same content, when it is in the form of an eBook?

Dan Kusnetzky

By for Virtually Speaking |

The O'Reilly Media, the publisher of my ebook Virtualization: A Manager's Guide, is taking part in the Free Software Foundation's day against DRM. I thought you might like to know about what they're doing.

Here's what they have to say about it:

In Celebration of *Day Against DRM* Save 50% on ALL Ebooks & Videos

Having the ability to download files at your convenience, store them on all your devices, or share them with a friend or colleague as you would a print book, is liberating, and is how it should be. If you haven't tried a DRM-free ebook of video, we encourage you to do so now. And if you're already a fan, take advantage of our sale and add to your library.

For one day only, you can save 50% on all O'Reilly, No Starch, and Rocky Nook ebooks and videos. Use code: DRMFREE

Ebooks from oreilly.com are DRM-free. You get free lifetime access, multiple file formats, free updates. Deal expires May 4, 2012 at 11:59pm PT and cannot be combined with other offers.

I've always thought it odd that it was fine for me to loan or give a book to a friend, but doing the same thing, with the same content in the form of an eBook was not allowed. I'm happy to see that FSF is saying something about this topic.

Topics: Security, Hardware, Mobility

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Talkback

5 comments
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  • re: DRM

    The only reason it's "fine" for you to loan a print book to a friend is because the big 5 publishers haven't managed to make it illegal yet. That will be their next step, along with limiting how many times libraries are allowed to loan out each book they purchase. If the libraries will put up with it for ebooks, why not print books as well? The large corporations are greedy and today's business model requires them to make a larger profit every year. If they don't, they are considered a failure. This is obviously unsustainable, but they keep trying. In order to do this, they continually have to look for new sources of revenue. It's the same reasoning behind the Region Codes on DVD and Blueray discs. They claimed it was for protection against copying, but we all know that was a lie.
    If you look at the smaller publishers and authors who self-publish, most of them do not use DRM. They know that it doesn't work and makes their customers' lives more difficult.
    Unusual1
    Reply Vote

  • License vs. sale

    The first-sale doctrine (Copyright Act of 1976, 17 U.S.C. ?? 109) grants the owner of a copy certain rights, including the right of resale without restraint from the copyright holder. This has been a thorn in the side of the media cartels for decades. They waged war on second-hand sales, often using illegal means. Even though the legal precedents have been in place for a long time, businesses like Half-Price Books and Gamestop are routinely harassed and intimidated with spurious legal threats.

    For digital works, the copyright owners quickly adopted a new tactic, the use of "licenses" versus sold copies, and "click-wrap" agreements that were binding legal contracts. Some misguided court verdicts have allowed the cartels to expand their dodge to area they never dreamed of originally. People are now forced to "agree" to extensive contracts to use hardware items such as iPads, Blu-ray players, game consoles, and personal computers. Essentially, you pay for a useless hunk of metal or plastic if you do not "agree" to the license terms.

    At one time book publishers tried to convince online retailers like Amazon to bind puchases of books, cds, and video tapes with "click-wrap" agreements at checkout. They offered to pay rebates and planned to put "Not for Resale" warning stickers on the merchandise that was sold under the agreement. Needless to say, nobody thought the idea was smart except for the publishers ...
    terry flores
    Reply Vote

  • It's because they are electronic, not physical

    If you have a physical book, you can lend it to only one person at a time. If you have an electronic book without digital restriction management you can make multiple copies and lend or give them away. Like, Duh, why is that hard to understand?
    bmeacham98@...
    Reply Vote

    • One CAN copy a physical book

      It's a major PITA to flip each page and scan it on a copier to either print right there or store electronically (depending on the size of the book, the binding method, ect.) but it can be done if one is determined enough. Ebooks are far easier to copy and distribute.
      NonFanboy
      Reply Vote

  • The only problem with the DRM is...

    The only problem with the DRM is that it only hurts the legal customer, piracy is always there, breaking DRM with hacking methods, pirates will never pay and continue pirating, while legal customers only gets more restricted on their digital goods usage rights.

    What about being a legal customer and use piracy methods to bypass DRM only for personal purposes?
    fbarias89
    Reply Vote
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