The suggestion is a good one (I like the versioning idea) and it is correct that DRM does not prevent unauthorized distribution. In fact, US copyright registra

The suggestion is a good one (I like the versioning idea) and it is correct that DRM does not prevent unauthorized distribution. In fact, US copyright registration already requires submitting a copy to the Library of Congress either as a physical copy or in a standardized, DRM-free format (with the possible exception of encrypted PDFs, for which I assume the password would be required?) [1] However, LoC could go even further by becoming a digital lending library, or a compulsory licensing regime could be enacted for public libraries in general. [1] https://www.copyright.gov/eco/help-file-types.html https://www.copyright.gov/eco/help-file-types.html