Apple Patent Describes iTunes Reselling and Loaning System 97
An anonymous reader writes "An Apple patent granted on 7 March details a system allowing customers to resell iTunes and iBooks content to other users at a reduced price, or to loan the content temporarily for free. Such a system could pave the way for second hand content being made available on iTunes for a discounted price." (Note: Beware the auto-playing video ad, with sound.)
Re:finally, some good sense (Score:4, Interesting)
You have to admit, regardless of your feelings towards apple, this is a step in the direction of breaking down artificial barriers.
Actually, it still reminds me of the first cars: They had no horses (there's no paper in your e-books), but still went to great pains to imitate horse carriages in shape (you can lend your bits and bytes for a limited period, but say no-no to reading them yourself during that period). Breaking down artificial barriers my ass.