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We Don't Really Own the Digital Possessions That We Buy Online

posted by Fnord666 on Wednesday July 01 2020, @02:26PM   Printer-friendly
from the gone-with-the-wind dept.

An Anonymous Coward writes:

https://www.iafrikan.com/2020/06/30/do-we-really-own-our-digital-possessions/

During 2019, Microsoft announced that it will close the books category of its digital store. While other software and apps will still be available via the virtual shop front, and on purchasers' consoles and devices, the closure of the eBook store takes with it customers' eBook libraries. Any digital books bought through the service – even those bought many years ago – will no longer be readable after July 2019. While the company has promised to provide a full refund for all eBook purchases, this decision raises important questions of ownership.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 02 2020, @02:27PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 02 2020, @02:27PM (#1015400)

    ... because before I buy them I make sure I'm getting a file copy accessible without DRM or prorprietary standards. The times that are exceptions to this I realize that I'm actually renting.

    Oh, and it raises no questions of ownership that didn't exist prior to the closure of the Sony Reader service, as far as I can tell. It just may be more in the public eye now. Maybe the exception is that any already-downloaded files on a particular Sony Reader still worked following the closure of their store. Dunno.