HT201183: Publish and sell books with iBooks Author

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Ted Fitzpatrick

Q: Is a free iBook downloaded from our website to a password-protected iPad still considered free?

Is a free iBook downloaded from our website to a password-protected iPad still considered free?

 

A colleague raised this as a possible legal sticking point.

 

Any experiences / input / pointers to Apple legal agreements that determines this?

 

Thanks,

 

Ted

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Posted on Mar 8, 2013 11:53 AM

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Q: Is a free iBook downloaded from our website to a password-protected iPad still considered free?

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  • by K T,

    K T K T Mar 8, 2013 11:56 AM in response to Ted Fitzpatrick
    Level 7 (23,844 points)
    Publishing
    Mar 8, 2013 11:56 AM in response to Ted Fitzpatrick

    Yes.

     

    But this seems so obvious that there just be something else about your actual question, so a wait for the other shoe is almost a must....

     

    See your the agreement in the iBA 'About'.

  • by Tom Gewecke,

    Tom Gewecke Tom Gewecke Mar 8, 2013 12:55 PM in response to Ted Fitzpatrick
    Level 9 (79,277 points)
    Mar 8, 2013 12:55 PM in response to Ted Fitzpatrick

    Ted Fitzpatrick wrote:

     

    A colleague raised this as a possible legal sticking point.

     

    Hard to imagine what could make him think that.  Are you selling the password that allows access to the device & book?

  • by Ted Fitzpatrick,

    Ted Fitzpatrick Ted Fitzpatrick Mar 12, 2013 10:23 AM in response to Tom Gewecke
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Mar 12, 2013 10:23 AM in response to Tom Gewecke

    My colleague had an experience when legal agreements for a web map API that he wanted to use behind a log-in categorized the map use as not "free" therefore subject to payment.

     

    Further into my (possibly) iBooks project, we'll take a closer look at how Apple qualifies "free" when OK-ing my government agency to distribute iBooks via a password-protected site. My agency doesn't charge a fee to the end users of the site, so I think we're good ... however more homework is definitely warranted!

     

    I'm curious to hear of the experiences of others with regards to distributing iBooks from a password-protected site.

     

    Ted

  • by K T,

    K T K T Mar 12, 2013 10:33 AM in response to Ted Fitzpatrick
    Level 7 (23,844 points)
    Publishing
    Mar 12, 2013 10:33 AM in response to Ted Fitzpatrick

    This isn't nearly as complicated as you seem to believe, sorry.

     

    The agreement simply outlines a non-compete clause with the store. Reading anything else into that scheme is a waste of time.

  • by Tom Gewecke,

    Tom Gewecke Tom Gewecke Mar 12, 2013 10:52 AM in response to Ted Fitzpatrick
    Level 9 (79,277 points)
    Mar 12, 2013 10:52 AM in response to Ted Fitzpatrick

    I agree totally with K T.  It does not make sense to interpret Apple's language as somehow implying that simply using a password for access means you have to distribute the book via the ibookstore.  The store doesn't even have a way to do that as far as I know.