HP Books in text files - useful for fans

[Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 9500

Hi --

Well, as part of the egroups problems of late, I can't find Peg's original
message (quoted below in Mike's reply).  But, I will respond on the basis of
Mike's message nonetheless ....

Aberforth's Goat wrote:

> Peg wrote,
>
> > I care. I am a published novel who makes money on the basis of my
> copyright.  Please do not publish this URL any further.
>
> Thank you for speaking up Peg. Perhaps one of our moderators could delete the
> post in question (pro forma for us email readers, but still a wise gesture.)

The moderators have deleted this message and explained the copyright problems to
the poster of the original message.  This is very serious business guys.  It's
probably only a matter of time before Scholastic or Bloomsbury or someone else
shuts it down, but in the meantime, you are violating the copyright laws of the
US if you use this electronic version (or distribute the URL to the version).
It's blatant copyright violation, and this group definitely should refrain from
adding to the problem.

> There is a valid issue here, though. It *is* very helpful to have access to
> electronic, searchable texts. If there were an approved one I could pay Jo
> money for, I would. Does anyone here have any knowledge of such a text? (I
> don't.) And what *is* the legal status of having and using one, provided one
> already owns the same edition in the same language and has it sitting next
> to his computer?

As best I know Mike, there isn't an authorized electronic version yet.
Hopefully, this is only a matter of time, and those of us who would use it
regularly can have the legal opportunity to do so.  I fully expect that by the
time the 5th or 6th book comes out, there will probably be authorized electronic
versions of all the HP books available for sale to the general public.  But,
until then, we're all out of luck.  As to the legal status -- hmmm .... I'm sure
Heidi could weigh in more accurately than I can.  Wouldn't it essentially be the
same thing as these e-books that people are touting as the next great thing?
Or, are you asking if it's copyright violation to have & use an unauthorized,
unpaid-for electronic version as long as you also have the hard copies of those
books sitting on your desk?  I don't think owning the books outright undoes the
copyright harm of the unauthorized electronic version, but I could be wrong.

In any case, please do not post the URL to those versions to this group.  My
warning to you as an attorney is also to refrain from using these black market
electronic versions.

Penny