Contrast that situation with Amazon e-books, where users are not only required to identify themselves to purchase an e-book, but also to accept "a restrictive license" on their use of it, Stallman notes.

"In some countries, Amazon says the user does not own the e-book," he asserts. "The format is secret, and only proprietary user-restricting software can read it all."

Copying such e-books is "impossible due to in the player," he adds, "and prohibited by the license, which is more restrictive than copyright law."

Not only that, but Amazon can remotely delete purchased e-books through a back door, Stallman points out, much the way on "thousands of copies of George Orwell's 1984."

'We Must Reject E-Books'