[free-sklyarov] A different angle

[proclus at iname.com]

On 19 Jul, bat out of hell wrote:
> On Thu, 19 Jul 2001, Lars Gaarden wrote:
>> What would really hurt them, would be a class-action lawsuit from
>> publishers and other companies that believed Adobe's claims that the
>> eBook format was safe. A number of publishers suing for damage might
>> cost Adobe a lot more in cash and good-will than anything a boycot by
>> us nerds and hackers can achieve.
> 
> Well this might sound silly, but this is the angle I'm going to try.

Hey, maybe that is not such a silly idea.  Adobe is trying to deprive
their customers of their fair use rights.  Moreover, isn't there an
argument to be made such that personal property like eBooks trumps
Adobe's so-called intellectual property rights?  What Dmitry did
probably is illegal under DMCA, but in such a case, the enforcement
would also be illegal and to greater harm.

Hey, clearly I'm no lawyer...  Just an attempt at some common sense
here.

Regards,
proclus
http://www.gnu-darwin.org/

> 
> I'm currently a rabid fan of the author George R. R. Martin.  I buy multiple copies of his books, in hardback and paperback.  I don't know if his books are available in e-book format, and I guess it really doesn't matter.  When you get right down to it, his publisher is making a lot of money off me, and other fans that are just as dedicated as I am.



> 
> Yes, this has a point, which I'm getting to shortly.
> 
> Mr. Martin's publisher makes a lot of money off me.  I am going to write to his publisher, as a dedicated consumer of their product, and request that they will not support Adobe's ebook technology.  I'm going to explain the situation in a rational manner, and diplomatically point out that I don't wish my favorite author to be hurt, by either Adobe's complete lack of security, or by an Adobe boycott.  To illustrate the importance of people like me to the publishing industry, I'm going to dig up a few Barnes & Noble receipts and attach those along with my letter.  (Yeah, I'm actually gonna do the pen and paper thing.)
> 
> I don't know profitable eBooks are to publishers.  If I like an author as much as I like George Martin, I go out and buy two copies of each of his books in hardback: one to read, the other to wrap in plastic and save.  When the paperbacks are released, I purchase two copies:  one to lend, and one to reread and dogear and make notes in.  I don't want to buy books in electronic format.  I'm a computer nerd, yeah, but it's so much more satisfying to me, to read a book the old fashioned way.  I think there may be a lot of geeks who agree with me.  If we're the ones the publishers are targetting eBooks at, and we aren't using it?  Who knows, they may listen.  Without fanatic book lovers like me, the publishers wouldn't be in business... and they're aware of this.
> 
> In any case, we have a better chance of publishers listening to us, than we do of Adobe listening to us.  And the publishers have a better chance of Adobe listening to them, than we do.
> 
> So, that's *my* plan... if anyone wants to follow suit, hopefully we might see results.  Sorry about my verbosity :)
> 
> -Sally
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> free-sklyarov mailing list
> free-sklyarov at zork.net
> http://zork.net/mailman/listinfo/free-sklyarov

-- 
Visit proclus realm! http://www.proclus-realm.com/
-----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK-----
Version: 3.1
GMU/S d+@ s: a+ C++++ UBULI++++$ P+ L+++(++++) E--- W++ N- !o K- w--- !O
M++@ V-- PS+++ PE Y+ PGP-- t+++(+) 5+++ X+ R tv-(--)@ b !DI D- G e++++
h--- r+++ y++++
------END GEEK CODE BLOCK------