RE: Converting book into digital format?

[Edward Barrow <edward@plato32.demon.co.uk>]

On Thursday, May 04, 2000 11:38 PM, Rick Anderson 

> Margaret Becker says:
>
> > ... the copyright holder MUST approve anything of
> > this nature.
>
> I'm not sure that this is true.  As I understand the four-fold test for
> fair use, copying the entirety of a copyrighted work is perfectly
> acceptable under some circumstances.  If the proposed use would be fair,
> there's no need to ask for permission -- in fact, I'd counsel against it;
> let's not encourage copyright holders in the belief that they get to
> decide what fair use is.

The original question came from Indonesia. I do not know if the doctrine
of fair use applies under Indonesian copyright law, but I would be
surprised.  As far as I know, the 4-factor fair use analysis is unique to
the USA.  There may well be an analogous Indonesian doctrine; but it is
unlikely to be the same.

Edward Barrow
edward@plato32.demon.co.uk