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."

Comments

Um, that'd be *free* beer

[Anonymous Coward]

FTFA:

"The question is, how much time and energy do I want to spend chasing these guys," Stephen King wrote in an e-mail message. "And to what end? My sense is that most of them live in basements floored with carpeting remnants, living on Funions and discount beer."

Parent poster:

Go to Usenet

Sounds about right.

Yeah.

[Fear the Clam]

Mr. Doctorow: "I really feel like my problem isn't piracy. It's obscurity."

There, there, Cory. People are paying attention to you now. It's okay.

Re:HA!

[Aardpig]

A writer of trite, wanky fantasy who gets extremely litigious when someone borrows from her work as much as she borrows from others.

Hey what's wrong with Funions and cheap beer?

[Ice Station Zebra]

Come on Stephen, your books are pretty much the equivalent.