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Copyright Infringement of Books
Maximum Prophet recommends a NY Times piece on the growing phenomenon of unauthorized digital versions of copyrighted books showing up online. The problem has been growing exponentially, fed in part by the popularity of reading devices such as the Kindle and the iPhone. The article features the odd photographic juxtaposition of Cory Doctorow and Ursula K. Le Guin, who take opposite views on electronic editions, authorized or not. Ms. Le Guin: "I thought, who do these people think they are? Why do they think they can violate my copyright and get away with it?" Mr. Doctorow: "I really feel like my problem isn't piracy. It's obscurity." "Doctorow, a novelist whose young adult novel 'Little Brother' spent seven weeks on the New York Times children's chapter books best-seller list last year, offers free electronic versions of his books on the same day they are published in hardcover. He believes free versions, even unauthorized ones, entice new readers."
http://books.google.com.au/books?printsec=frontcover&id=zmpxV1ygjvsC
"To the end of the solar system .. the story of the Nuclear Rocket." By James A. Dewar
Every page appears to be there. Thanks Google!
How we know is more important than what we know.
"Why do they think they can violate my copyright and get away with it?"
Because ultimately books are supposed to be "spread around", and not hidden away.
Should I put you on my list of "Big Jerks of Sci-Fi" next to Ellison now?
A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
I love the comment "varying degrees of success" like there's a difference between zero success and almost zero success when it comes to stopping media piracy. As for copyright theft of books, it's a reality and there's pretty much nothing that can be done to stop it bar releasing official copies free of charge or priced so low that readers will purchase official copies out of preference to downloading illegal copies. The more freetards that end up in court defending the outrageously high fines and compensation the harder I laugh at them for being dicks. I don't really care what justification freetards give for stealing music, movies or books, they're still stealing them. If they're priced to high or you object to drm then you can always choose to vote with your wallet. Stealing doesn't make you clever or a rebel, just a dick with no conscience. Of course you can get away with it and if you choose to that's your business. You're still a freetard thief. Some people deserve the RIAA and freetards are most of them. The more freetards that end up in court defending themselves from outrageously high compensation claims the harder I laugh at them.