From: bowman@montana.com   
      
   On Mon, 29 Dec 2025 13:18:59 -0000 (UTC), Lars Poulsen wrote:   
      
   > From a practical perspective, I am pretty sure the Amazon system only   
   > allows a temporary loan. As to the legality, I am pretty certain that   
   > you don't own the book, but have a permanent, non-exclusive,   
   > non-transferable *license* to use the intellectual property that is the   
   > "book". Anything else would be too messy to describe in the chain of   
   > contracts from the author to the publisher to the e-book "seller".   
      
   Amazon discontinued the person to person lending library. As a Prime   
   member I 'borrow' a lot of books at no cost. You then return them although   
   there isn't an expiration period.   
      
   I'd asked an author that I read about that but he never replied. Most of   
   the people I read aren't on the best sellers list and the prices run about   
   $5, so if I outright buy a book rather than borrowing it does the author   
   receive more? If I like someone's work I like to help them eat regularly   
   rather than starving in a garret.   
      
   The same author has also mentioned the numerous scam artists that approach   
   him offering to help him get on the best seller list. In a way it's an   
   electronic vanity press but it does help to get a lot of books out that   
   would never make it through traditional publishing.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)