One of the major ideas behind Urban Exploring is that this is our city and we have this intrinsic right to get out there and become familiar with it, understand it. To find the secrets that were long ago created and perhaps forgotten. That is, in a manner of speaking, the right to information.

When people lock up drains we find a way in. So what about literary information? Would you find a way to access the information that you desired if it was locked down?

For those that are tech savvy you may know where I am going with this. Today the British Library made headlines when with its doubts about DRM software. That is the same thing that Sony illegally used on music CDs to keep people from "pirating" them. I'm not clear with regards to music copyright laws, however, books I do know. There is a limitation on copyrights for books and currently this software would allow people to retain rights over their work much longer than that.

Additionally, libraries are a massive source of information for the public. Do the copyright holders have any right to restrict the use of a book in a library? If so, for how long?

This is the kind of public outrage that I would have expected ages ago, if I hadn't lost my faith in people's ability to identify information-threating technology. Librarians are my super heros today; now if only they'll take on the RIAA.

At any rate, if you you're not familiar with DRM check out the Wikipedia blurb on it: http://en.wikipedi..._rights_management

What I would like to know is how do you feel about the prospect of digital books being governed by this? We had come to a wonderful point where information was available to nearly everyone with the stroke of a key. You're average Joe can go out and find what information he would like to know without spending vast amounts of money--I am, of course, speaking in terms of Canadian/Western culture. The British Library, for instance, has massive collections of just about any kind of book you could ask for.

My work involves Victorian literature and the British Library has been an indispensible source for this. They're currently working on a rather large collection that pertains to what I do. Actually, I wouldn't be employed without the various British librairies having online resources. But at what cost is this? Does moving information into a digital format automatically throw it into the domain of those threatened by information? What about the author, does a writer worth their name not publish to have people read it? Should only those who can afford the book have full access to it?

In short, fuck DRM.

I agree with you.
In 1978, the US government went over copyright legislation...what they came up with was essentially this...for 35 dollars, you can purchase a United States copyright, which lasts for the author's life plus 70 years. That's if the material was created after January 1st 1978. If they were created before then but not copyrighted until now...this statue governs them. If it was copyrighted before then, it's 28 years from the date it was secured and it has to be renewed every 28 years.
It's confusing and I disagree with the DRM stuff as well.
Sony had a big issue with the software they put on their CD's, basically when it first came out it was crashing people's computers and mistaking files that it had no business looking at and damaging them.
Basically, it was one big mess of spyware.
My whole issue with DRM is I don't like people looking at my hard drive. It's my property, what I have on it is none of your concern. I keep it behind a firewall for a reason, as most people do.
I like books, I have all different kinds, everything from horror to sci fi to erotica and I pay for a few, but there are others that I wouldn't have spent a nickel to obtain because the author doesn't deserve the 40 or 50 dollar purchase price because, let's face it, the book just wasn't that good. Also my library, were it in hard copy form, would take up a lot more room than I presently have in my house, so I resorted to obtaining books in etext formats.
If I like a book and I want to share it, I go buy the hard copy since most people don't like reading on a computer screen. So, they sometimes get me to buy two copies, one etext, one hard copy anyway.
I don't think DRM will catch on for etext, honestly. The only people bitching about it right now are people like Stephen King, Dean Koontz and John Saul, all of which just want to maximize their own profits and fuck the little guy.

Shael

I take heart in knowing that whatever technology is trotted out to supposedly protect the artist, there will be someone who will figure out a way around it. My greatest fear is that these technologies will help push out the little guy and only leave room for the big labels and publishers.

It's similar to a cashless society: How are you supposed to have a flea market with a cashless society? Only big sellers would be able to afford the cost of credit card machines. But I digress.

There are always workarounds. For a CD, I could run a cable from the optical or coaxial output into my sound card and re-record it in real time. Books can always just go on a photocopier.