Hey Albert, it took me a while to read your whole post, but once I did, I agree with you! [:D]
This has been suggested before (I am one who did), but we will probably never see it according to Bob Pritchett.
Why not. I buy books from Amazon (Kindle) all the time. And I can loan those books for 2 weeks to someone else. It is absolutely wonderful. Why should I buy the same book in Vyrso or Logos if I can't even loan it. (When you loan a book in Kindle, it is unable to be read by the owner for those 2 weeks (unless it is returned early)). I can't imagine why Logos couldn't do the same thing.
Seems like I have started buying books in two groups... those that are current or have devotional value, I purchase in Kindle Format and I can share those titles and talk about them with friends. Then there are the solid commentaries, theology texts, and Greek and Hebrew Tools ... and I always buy those in Logos format, so I can do lesson preparation. I would think that Logos would want the many, many dollars I spend with Amazon Kindle services... but perhaps that is not a concern. Seems strange though.
Most likely the contracts Logos made with publishers do not allow for lending. Amazon has a different contract that allows for lending.
Some contracts never make much sense to me. I was just thinking on the reasoning of why a contract would prevent lending in electronic format. If I were to buy a book in print form, then loan it out to someone, only 1 person would be able to have possession of the book. This seem the same as what Kindle does when preventing the original owner from reading the book once it is loaned out. Now if someone were to copy a book (electronic or otherwise) and begin giving copies out to everyone, I could see where that would be a big issue. I'm thinking that maybe Logos just doesn't have the infrastructure in place to correctly enable loaning books.
I'm a little on both sides of this issue. I understand that people, including myself, are used to loaning books to friends and people who need to read them. But I am sure this is not the author's or publisher's intent. If it were possible to stop it, I am sure they would. And I firmly believe that a worker is entitled to their wages. If they don't make money on their work then they don't have much motivation to do it.
Now that books are in electronic format they have more means to control their works. To the extent that someone doesn't find a way around their protection schemes and violate contract. IMO, this is good. I like to see good authors/artists paid for their work and their contribution to my/our education and growth. They deserve it.
On the other hand they have to balance that against customer expectations and satisfaction. This is likely the only reason that it's already available to the extent it is. People are used to loaning/borrowing books from friends and feel entitled to that "right". (Again, I'm in this group too.) -- Do we even have this "right" with paper books or is it a right we've taken on ourselves?
I also acknowledge that there are very real and legitimate reasons to loan books (eg. those unable to afford who have a very real and current need for certain information).
I understand both sides. But lean toward the side of authors and publishers, music artists and studios, etc.
When possible, support the author, support the publisher, support Logos.
Just my opinion. This is not an argument of any form.
I buy books from Amazon (Kindle) all the time. And I can loan those books for 2 weeks to someone else.
It's only available on certain books, and only in the US.
