The Journal "Nature" and public domain of old issues on website

[repoman]

I wonder about public domain in this digital age:

The link is to an 1870 issue, which is obviously in public domain. But they want to charge me $18 for a copy of it.

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v1/n10/pdf/001256a0.pdf

How is this allowed?

Could I buy it and host it on my own website and not get into legal trouble?

 

[tantric]

let me introduce you to Aaron Swartz. he poked a tiny little hole in that balloon, and the usgov literally hounded him until he committed suicide. there's a movie about it - 'the internet's own boy'. the short answer is: if you try, the men in black will descend upon you like a goddamn meteorite and vaporize your life. it would be FAR safer to set up an LSD lab and broadcast your reactions live.




...

 

[Loren Pechtel]

I wonder about public domain in this digital age:

The link is to an 1870 issue, which is obviously in public domain. But they want to charge me $18 for a copy of it.

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v1/n10/pdf/001256a0.pdf

How is this allowed?

Could I buy it and host it on my own website and not get into legal trouble?

Nothing says you can't charge for a public domain work. They are providing a service giving you access to it. If it truly is public domain they can't stop you from distributing it, though.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I wonder about public domain in this digital age:

The link is to an 1870 issue, which is obviously in public domain. But they want to charge me $18 for a copy of it.

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v1/n10/pdf/001256a0.pdf

How is this allowed?

Could I buy it and host it on my own website and not get into legal trouble?

Have a University near you? Could go to their library see if they have it.