Sunday, January 20, 2013

e-book restrictions leave 'buyers' with few rights


This  article in the LA Times last month points out that buyers of e-books designed for the main readers available aren't owners of them at all but licensees. Unlike the owners of a physical tome, they don't have the unlimited right to lend an e-book, give it away, resell it or leave it to their heirs. If it's bought for their iPad, they won't be able to read it on their Kindle. And if Amazon or the other sellers don't like what they've done with it, they can take it back, without warning.

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