[FreedomCalls]

My understanding is that it's legal as long as that person doesn't try to distribute it. You can do what you want to your own copy of a movie, just like you can underline and strike out passages in a book you own. But you can't distribute that book or movie that you altered.

So if I mail my own copy of a DVD to these edit companies and they edit it for me (since I don't have the equipment at home) is that "distributing" it?

If I underline and strike out passages in a book I own can I sell it to a used-book store? Can they sell it to someone else? Is that "distribution"?

[MineralMan]

"If I underline and strike out passages in a book I own can I sell it to a used-book store? Can they sell it to someone else? Is that "distribution"?"

It is the same copy of the book, you see. The book is not copied onto new paper. That said, you'll find that underlines and strike-outs will pretty much guarantee that the used book store will not buy it in the first place.

[MineralMan]

"If I underline and strike out passages in a book I own can I sell it to a used-book store? Can they sell it to someone else? Is that "distribution"?"

The local library branch in my old town had a problem with a guy who would check out books, black out stuff he didn't like, then return them. It took a while before they were able to pin it on him. He had done it to hundreds of books over a period of time.

He got to spend six months in the county slammer, and got to buy new copies of every defaced book.

I guess he was trying to protect the other patrons from whatever it was he didn't like.

Funny!

[Stone Mountain]

So if I mail my own copy of a DVD to these edit companies and they edit it for me (since I don't have the equipment at home) is that "distributing" it?

Nope. My understanding is that it would be fine.

If I underline and strike out passages in a book I own can I sell it to a used-book store? Can they sell it to someone else? Is that "distribution"?

Ooh good question. I'm not sure how copyright law works vis-a-vis used books. i am sure, however, that if you made copies of that book and tried to distribute it, edited or not, that it wouldn't be allowed.