Problems and challenges of downloading for database producers

The increased use of micro‐ and mini‐computers by online searchers creates new problems and challenges for database producers and vendors. Downloading is technically a violation of the copyright of the database producer. In order to prevent producers from being confronted with abuses of their databases, they have to set guidelines. End‐users have to be accommodated by making special arrangements. Downloading is also a form of bulk sales. Pricing should therefore be based on this idea. However, many pricing schedules of database producers do not allow variations. This paper proposes solutions to some of these problems.