Have you ever purchased a public-domain eBook?

ownedbycats · Yesterday, 07:39 PM

I noticed Kobo had a sale for a bunch of PD eBooks which made me wonder about this.

Question is in the title. Note that if it wasn't in the PD at the time (e.g. The Great Gatsby before a few years ago), it doesn't count. Neither do physical copies.

A few years ago, I accidentally purchased an eBook and read it before realizing I could've gotten it from Project Gutenberg. It was less than a dollar so I wasn't too upset.

Sirtel · Yesterday, 07:54 PM

I have to say I don't know. Maybe I have and I no longer remember, or I have done so unknowingly. I'd have to check most of my calibre library to know for sure, as any PD books I have there aren't specifically marked/tagged as such.

So I didn't vote.

ownedbycats · Yesterday, 07:57 PM

Dang, I can't find an option to edit a poll

Karellen · Yesterday, 07:58 PM

I did, back in the early 2010's during my dark ages of ebook knowledge.

Saw Treasure Island, Alice in Wonderland, Mary Poppins and a few others at a very cheap price of a couple of dollars on Amazon, so quickly snapped them up.

It was only a few years later that I realised that these were public domain books and I could have avoided the cost.

issybird · Yesterday, 08:27 PM

There are two situations where I'll purchase a public domain book.

When the front matter is significant. A Penguin or Oxford edition, for example. Price does matter here; I'll pay a few bucks for it, but otherwise I'll go with the free version.

When it's a case of a recent and better translation. I know this is apples and oranges to an extent, but I mention it because good translations matter. No point in struggling with an archaic translation of a challenging work when a recent translation would make it accessible.

DNSB · Today, 01:04 AM

I purchased several PD books when I knew the company that produced the editions had put the work in to produce a better formatted edition compared to Gutenberg. It was worth the 99¢ per book rather than editing the books myself.

Quoth · Today, 03:53 AM

Sometimes, even though it's PD, there is isn't even a scan availble. Sometimes there is only a scan, but in that case I won't pay much.

Newer translations don't count as PD because a translation has its own copyright. It's irrelevant that the source is PD. Of course if the source isn't PD, then a translation must be authorised and pay a royalty to original source.

Quoth · Today, 03:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

I purchased several PD books when I knew the company that produced the editions had put the work in to produce a better formatted edition compared to Gutenberg. It was worth the 99¢ per book rather than editing the books myself.

That can be true too, but I bought complete set of books that Jane Austin mentions and they were very poor formatting and proof from OCR.

DrNefario · Today, 05:00 AM

Not knowingly, but I wouldn't rule it out if the edition was nice enough. Typically I don't want to read older books enough to pay for them.

View Poll Results: Have you ever purchased a public-domain eBook?
Yes	8	66.67%
Yes, by accident (didn't realize it was PD)	1	8.33%
No	3	25.00%
Voters: 12. You may not vote on this poll

Yesterday, 07:39 PM	#1
ownedbycats Custom User Title Posts: 9,172 Karma: 62872439 Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra H2O, formerly Aura HD	Have you ever purchased a public-domain eBook? I noticed Kobo had a sale for a bunch of PD eBooks which made me wonder about this. Question is in the title. Note that if it wasn't in the PD at the time (e.g. The Great Gatsby before a few years ago), it doesn't count. Neither do physical copies. A few years ago, I accidentally purchased an eBook and read it before realizing I could've gotten it from Project Gutenberg. It was less than a dollar so I wasn't too upset. Last edited by ownedbycats; Yesterday at 07:42 PM.

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Yesterday, 07:54 PM	#2
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 10,985 Karma: 227000000 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	I have to say I don't know. Maybe I have and I no longer remember, or I have done so unknowingly. I'd have to check most of my calibre library to know for sure, as any PD books I have there aren't specifically marked/tagged as such. So I didn't vote.

Yesterday, 07:57 PM	#3
ownedbycats Custom User Title Posts: 9,172 Karma: 62872439 Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra H2O, formerly Aura HD	Dang, I can't find an option to edit a poll

Yesterday, 07:58 PM	#4
Karellen Wizard Posts: 1,277 Karma: 6700678 Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2	I did, back in the early 2010's during my dark ages of ebook knowledge. Saw Treasure Island, Alice in Wonderland, Mary Poppins and a few others at a very cheap price of a couple of dollars on Amazon, so quickly snapped them up. It was only a few years later that I realised that these were public domain books and I could have avoided the cost.

Yesterday, 08:27 PM	#5
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 20,491 Karma: 224182110 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: H2O, Aura One, PW5	There are two situations where I'll purchase a public domain book. When the front matter is significant. A Penguin or Oxford edition, for example. Price does matter here; I'll pay a few bucks for it, but otherwise I'll go with the free version. When it's a case of a recent and better translation. I know this is apples and oranges to an extent, but I mention it because good translations matter. No point in struggling with an archaic translation of a challenging work when a recent translation would make it accessible.

Today, 01:04 AM	#6
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 38,806 Karma: 153006036 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	I purchased several PD books when I knew the company that produced the editions had put the work in to produce a better formatted edition compared to Gutenberg. It was worth the 99¢ per book rather than editing the books myself.

Today, 03:53 AM	#7
Quoth the rook, bossing Never. Posts: 12,233 Karma: 89531599 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper11	Sometimes, even though it's PD, there is isn't even a scan availble. Sometimes there is only a scan, but in that case I won't pay much. Newer translations don't count as PD because a translation has its own copyright. It's irrelevant that the source is PD. Of course if the source isn't PD, then a translation must be authorised and pay a royalty to original source.

Today, 05:00 AM	#9
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,120 Karma: 11315768 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	Not knowingly, but I wouldn't rule it out if the edition was nice enough. Typically I don't want to read older books enough to pay for them.

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