[sf-lug] [Fwd: [FSF] Amazon, 1984, and what we're doing about it.]

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Rohen Peterson (peterson.rohen at gmail.com):

> I don't believe the issue is purely DRM. Amazon can't sell illegally copied
> material, with or without DRM.

Suppose a bookstore sold you a book.  Then, a week later, you find a
note on the bookshelf in the living room saying the bookstore determined
that the publisher lacked legal rights to publish that book in your
country, and therefore had entered your living room during the night to
take the book back.  On top of the note, you found exact change
equalling what you'd spent.  (Checking the original receipt, you also
found fine print saying that customer premises are considered part of
the store, and occasionally books must be removed from the store for
various business reasons.)

Would you be a bit put out?  I would.

The bookstore, upon finding out that it's sold some number of customers
including me books to which a publisher had lacked legal rights, might
have a small tort problem.  So might the publisher.  

However, their seizing the book back from me -- without a court order
and some sheriff's deputies to implement it -- strikes me as moderately
insane and not to be tolerated.