[free-sklyarov] The Anti-DMCA Index -- Libraries, Ebooks and the DMCA

[Jon O .]

On 13-Aug-2001, Roger Sperberg wrote:
> Chris Maden wrote:
> >When Adobe adds a new feature to the Reader, the default is always to
> disable the feature,
> >because the publishers of older books can't have known about it.
> 
> >The 'read aloud' feature was one such feature. If an Adobe eBook doesn't
> explicitly enable 'read
> >aloud,' then it is disabled."
> 
> 
> 
> This is how I understood Adobe did this, and I have written and said as
> much, but Tom Diaz of Adobe last week wrote to The eBook Community that this
> feature initially was disabled (or "off") for all encrypted titles and
> enabled for all unencrypted titles. He added: "We also repackaged all
> then-exising eBooks so that in subsequent sales and downloads, the setting
> reflected the publishers' preferences.  So in effect the feature ended up
> being disallowed for most books, although there are a couple of major
> publishers who permit it."
> 
> In the case of "Alice," Diaz explained in an earlier post to the same Yahoo
> group: "Due to an operator error, this right was also disabled for 'Alice in
> Wonderland,' but we corrected that mistake as soon as it was brought to our
> attention.  The accident happened in December 2000 and
> was corrected by a couple of weeks later. "
> 

Diaz has no right to tell me what I can do with a Public Domain ebook.
Project Gutenberg should review its licensing and take control back
from the greedy corporations attempting to usurp the public's
Intellectual Rights.