>Do you really consider a manual explaining how to turn a camera on and >off as 'intelectual property' ? >Manuals are of use either to Canon customers or to wanna be >customers - so it's part of the Customer Support or promotion. If they >had them free on the web people wouldnt be able to sell them (coz >nobody would buy something they can get for free) so no harm done to >anyone.
Not true. As someone else on the list has pointed out, we sell thousands of user manuals each year on behalf of Canon UK. We have mentioned to some callers that a particular manual is available for download, but they still go ahead and buy from us. It is all to easy for those of us with internet access to forget that many people do not even own a computer. Nothing is free. Even ignoring the cost of computer ownership and internet subscriptions, people in most countries have to pay telephone charges when they log on to the internet. It also costs money for ink and paper to print a download. People placing orders are happy to pay us to do the work for them. (Of course, it costs you nothing if you use your employer's facilities and time to print copies, but that raises another ethical issue.) Some people also prefer to have an original manual, rather than a copy printed on A4 paper. We often receive orders from people who want the original because they feel it will help them to sell a used camera or lens. And only recent equipment is likely to have a manual available for download. We supply manuals for equipment gong back to 1959. I have to admit that I thought we would see a drop in sales as manuals appeared online, but this has not happened. In fact, manuals for digital cameras and Bubble Jet printers are among our best-selling items, partly because CDs of software and drivers are included. Many of the drivers can be downloaded - but start making the software available as free downloads and you'll soon hear from lawyers protecting the interests of their clients. Robert Scott EOS magazine www.eos-magazine.com * **** ******* *********************************************************** * For list instructions, including unsubscribe, see: * http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/eos_list.htm ***********************************************************
