Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

Yes, though the justification behind those are the negative externalities for society at large; ie, destroying a rainforest/killing off an endangered species, etc. And even then, they're limited. (They have them in the US too - homeowners' associations are an example).

But outside of real estate, I can't think of any analogous practice outside the information market - you don't sell me a book on the condition that I not loan it to a friend, write notes in the margins, or even burn it.




That's because the analog market has natural logistical limitations for copying and improvement.

I cannot OCR a paper book I own, make modifications to it and then publish it on the web. Nor can I photocopy that book and give it to friends.


> natural logistical limitations for copying and improvement.

There's also a marginal cost beyond the first unit, whereas for software, there is none.

> I cannot OCR a paper book I own, make modifications to it and then publish it on the web.

You'd be violating a copyright, which is a separate point of discussion, but I'm talking about the physical book itself. You've sold me a bunch of paper bound together, and I'm allowed to modify (or destroy) it, as well as resell it to someone else.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: