Sharing/Lending Library

Hi, there,

I'm a dad in a family of five, and as my kids get old enough to move into adult resources, I'm realizing that what makes economic sense is for them to simply piggyback on my current resources rather than setting up their own accounts and re-purchasing all of my books. Just as at home I'm not going to buy five copies of MacArthur's New Testament Commentary, it wouldn't make sense to do the same for a digital resource, either.

Has Logos thought about this? Any plans to provide any sort of resolution rather than what is effectively bootlegging?

Tyson

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George Somsel

Just as at home I'm not going to buy five copies of MacArthur's New Testament Commentary, it wouldn't make sense to do the same for a digital resource, either.

You actually have ONE copy? [:O]

Tyson Heyn

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/509221#Comment_509221

Old-school 90s purchase. :-)

Matthew C Jones

I'm a dad in a family of five, and as my kids get old enough to move into adult resources, I'm realizing that what makes economic sense is for them to simply piggyback on my current resources rather than setting up their own accounts and re-purchasing all of my books. Just as at home I'm not going to buy five copies of MacArthur's New Testament Commentary, it wouldn't make sense to do the same for a digital resource, either.

I'm a Dad in a family of 15 so I understand your concern. Fortunately, Bob Pritchet (founder, CEO & owner of Logos) has expressed a willingness to allow husbands & wives & minor children still in the home to share the software. Logos is in reality licensed to only one person. If your children move away or your wife uses Logos to teach in a Bible college. they are expected to get their own license. In my home we have three Logos accounts; mine, my wife's and an account for my home-schooled children to use the free resources in Logos. There are some good reasons not to let little kids sign on in your account. (You may find they purchased an expensive resource with your credit card or messed up your personal notes.) If you have teens you trust and they sit at your computer using MacArthur's commentaries it should not be a problem. If your son is an adult preacher using the software for sermon preparation he ought to get his own license.

Has Logos thought about this? Any plans to provide any sort of resolution rather than what is effectively bootlegging?

Logos has thought about this and that is why Bob is so generous in his enforcement of the single user license. As far as the bootlegging (stealing) question goes, Logos is able to see where the software is being logged in from. If a father uses his software in Houston and his sons log on from Denver and Dallas Logos can see that and may eventually address the problem. In the past dishonest seminary students thought it economically advisable to share one license. They got caught, and stopped.

Tyson Heyn

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/509247#Comment_509247

I appreciate you answering the question, although I'm not exactly in love with the tone.

If Amazon, Apple, et al can figure out a way to allow folks to "lend" resources that, in a physical format, would naturally be lent, I think it's in Logos' best interests to develop something similar.

Obviously, I'm raising the question because I'd rather see a "legal" solution be offered rather than forcing me to side-step digital purchases. I'd rather buy a physical book that would be passed around rather than have a license that expires once I die or whatever else.

So, while I appreciate how you are carrying the banner for Logos and their great "generosity," this is a legitimate issue that needs addressing as folks decide how much to invest in digital purchases. Under iTunes, my $0.99 purchase will never be mine and disappears into the ether once I die. (That's why subscription-based services are becoming so popular.) Under Logos, why would I ever pay $5,000 for a product that might just pro-rate to something like $500/year and then disappear should I croak in a decade?

Obviously, the abuse you cite shouldn't happen, but there is also a reality that some sort of long-term commitment to how families use books needs to be made, and that I'm not seeing.

Tyson Heyn

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/509252#Comment_509252

So, here's the solution I'd propose to Logos. I run my own business, so I have their own need to make a profit in mind as well as what is most likely in their current content licensing agreements with publishers.

-- Allow the establishment of a "family" account similar to Xbox Live Family accounts.
A nominal monthly/annual fee could be established for each seat of the family. I think $0.99/month/seat would be reasonable pricing.

-- Allow lending within the Family accounts.
Each book can be used by each seat, but only by one at a time. So, if everyone's running off to access MacArthur's New Testament commentary on Titus, only one user can use it at a time. So, a persistent Internet connection would have to be established by the user unless they do something along the lines of a 24-hour checkout, at which time the book/product "expires" on the device on which it is being used.

-- Allow book license transfers.
Within 90 days of the passing of a license owner, allow a one-time transfer of the license to another individual within the family account. Recipients can only be individuals who were members of the family account 90 days before the death of license holder, helping to stop the black market re-sale of book licenses.

Matthew C Jones

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/509252#Comment_509252

I'd rather buy a physical book that would be passed around rather than have a license that expires once I die or whatever else.

Logos resources can be transferred to anyone (upon death or whenever) so long as they were not purchased under academic licensing. Licenses do not expire.

Logos can be installed on multiple computers and used at the same time (in accordance with Bob's generous application of the single user license.)

The present situation is more liberal than your solution.

Tyson Heyn

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/509269#Comment_509269

Great!

But if "Bob's" application of the license is unwritten, that should make users circumspect. I'd rather pay for something contractually formalized than take for free something that could be changed as soon as "Bob" cashes out to a third party one day.

Matthew C Jones

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/509272#Comment_509272

You can also buy a resource license from another user or sell one you don't want any more. Logos charges a $20 transfer fee to cover administration costs.

We are not allowed to "break up" a resource. (ie sell two of the commentaries from the MacArthur set.)

One thing I have been told is to pass on your Logos library at death it needs to be willed to someone. I have been asking Logos to allow us to attach a beneficiary to our accounts but so far they have not implemented it yet.

Tyson Heyn

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/509275#Comment_509275

That's all really great--I appreciate you educating me. Like you, I prefer the legal route on all of this stuff, and I'm just pragmatically looking at how I want my kids to be able to have access to my materials in the long run. Do I keep building up my "digital" library or go back to the physical format? Again, I don't mind paying fees in order to recognize Logos' administration, and frankly, I'd feel better doing that than a) having my kids log on as me and b) having all of their (future) notes jumbled with mine. :-) This way, they could also buy their own resources for their own private libraries as their interests are piqued.

Matthew C Jones

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/509272#Comment_509272

But if "Bob's" application of the license is unwritten, that should make users circumspect. I'd rather pay for something contractually formalized than take for free something that could be changed as soon as "Bob" cashes out to a third party one day.

I understand that and I agree.

My personal situation is such that I believe I will pass before Bob cashes out. I've got 5?~10? years left and Bob is very possessive of his company.

Addendum: I am still building my library [:D].

Tyson Heyn

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/509284#Comment_509284

Cool! Sorry if I was a bit fussy with you, but I really would want to do it in a right, "in the light" way rather than have something informal and "on the side." May you be adding to your Logos library 30 years from now! :-)