The ethics of "free" e-books

[MisterOJ]

that last hypothetical is salient. i've routinely photocopied entire books from the library when those books are out of print. if publisher can't be troubled to yaknow sell the text, i take that as a constructive waiver of the copyright.

Pretty much this. "Constructive waiver of copyright" is why I believe it is morally acceptable to download a digital version of a book if the publisher does not make one available for purchase. If a digital version is available to buy, then by all means, purchase the book. But if the publisher doesn't allow a person to buy an ebook because of geographic restrictions or some such foolishness, then I fully support downloading a pirated version of that ebook.

In this day and age, a person should not be required to buy a physical copy of a book in order to read it.

[TrackerNeil]

There are devices that allow a person to transfer audio recordings from LPs or cassettes and make them digital. Would you have a problem with someone who did such a thing?

How about making mix tapes? Ever do that back in the day?

Or how about format shifting existing ebooks? When Sand by Hugh Howey came out about a year ago, it was only available through Amazon. I wanted to read it, but I do all my reading on a Barnes & Noble Nook. The Kindle formatted files won't work on a Nook, so I bought the ebook, stripped the DRM, converted the file to an epub, loaded it on my Nook and read it. I broke the law by doing so. Is that wrong? I don't think so.

As I have said before, I don't have a problem with people copying files for personal use, which is what mix tapes really were. (Yes, I made more than a few in my time!) My problem is with those who make ebooks available on torrent sites, and those who download them without paying at any time.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Tracker,

Exactly. If you copy a book for personal use no one will ever know to complain. However, if you copy a book for personal use and then make that copy available on line for others to copy that's a very different story.

[Larry of the Lawn]

that last hypothetical is salient. i've routinely photocopied entire books from the library when those books are out of print. if publisher can't be troubled to yaknow sell the text, i take that as a constructive waiver of the copyright.

Damn techies. Real mofos copy by cuneiform.

[Lady Winter Rose]

LWR,

So, you're going to stick to the false equilency of piracy to libraries? If you pirate a book do you receive a fine if your return the book late?

Author do not make any significant profit when people pay fines. It's not false equilency, because in either case author don't make money.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

LWR,

It is a false equivilency because there are consequences when someone refuses to return a borrowed library book but if a book is pirated you would have there be no consequences. The two circumstances are not equal. Therefore your attempt to equate the two fails.

[Lady Winter Rose]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Qkyt1wXNlI#t=74

Gaiman thinks similar as I.

[Weeping Sore]

What if you memorize a book to "become" the book, and spew forth its contents at will to all and sundry? Are you violating copywright by absorbing/assimilating the content?

[Darth Richard II]

Well, this is getting weird.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

WS,

What if you memorize a book to "become" the book, and spew forth its contents at will to all and sundry? Are you violating copywright by absorbing/assimilating the content?

:shocked:

Let us know when you've memorized LotR or GoT verbatim.

[unJon]

What if you memorize a book to "become" the book, and spew forth its contents at will to all and sundry? Are you violating copywright by absorbing/assimilating the content?

Best. Unintentional (?). Bakkake. Ever.

[Woofless]

I have only read bits of ebooks online - like looking up a passage in ASOIAF that I am too lazy to go upstairs and find.

Any other author who I am interested in reading then I prefer to own the physical book.

My husband, an ardent bibliophile, bought me 27 books this Christmas. To fill out the collections of authors that I like. A lot of them out of print but he enjoys the hunt, whether searching for them online or in second hand bookstores or new bookstores.

If I were to read anything other than ASOIAF online it would be to get a taste of the book/author to see if I wanted to have it, but doing that has been rare.

[Darth Richard II]

WS,

:shocked:

Let us know when you've memorized LotR or GoT verbatim.

I know people that have memorized LotR. It's not impossible.

[Larry of the Lawn]

Best. Unintentional (?). Bakkake. Ever.

I think it was unintentional, pretty sure he just finished TTT and hasn't started the AE yet, although some of the elju stuff did just come up in the Thread That Shall Not Be Named.

[Michael Seswatha Jordan]

And there it is! The black semen never fails.

[Shryke]

And what about when I or many of the others have said, " I already own the content." Seriously, explain to me how pirating the content I already own is any different from me scanning the pages of my book, then converting it to epub? I own the physical book, as long as I don't distribute it for profit, who am I hurting?

You don't own the content, you own the physical book.

After all, if you owned the content, you would already have the content and wouldn't need to download it from a torrent.

[Michael Seswatha Jordan]

You don't own the content, you own the physical book.

After all, if you owned the content, you would already have the content and wouldn't need to download it from a torrent.

I understand that. I will use the DVD as an example. I buy The Hobbit, I can put it on my laptop and transfer it to my iPad. Then I can watch it anywhere. I'm not buying it through iTunes also, I don't care if that bothers people. I'm not purchasing the SAME product over and over. That's robbery. As long as I use it myself and don't try and profit from it, or make it available to others for free, I'm hurting no one. You cannot convince me that I'm in the wrong. Its the same with a book. I don't get where a reasonable human being can set and tell me in a straight face, that I'm doing something wrong. If you think that I am, I say your a greedy ass and part of the reason humanity looks like a pile of shit. No different from the "pirates" who take everything for free.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

MSJ,

Insults, really? If I don't buy into piracy I'm a "bad" person?

[Darth Richard II]

Yes, humanity is in the shitter because of the DMCA

Edit: that's sarcasm

[Michael Seswatha Jordan]

I'm not insulting. You can't be a reasonable human being, if you think what I just explained is morally wrong. Your telling me you think I should have to buy the same product 3 separate ways?

No I'm not saying you need to buy into piracy. Its not right, I agree with you. But neither is it right to make the consumer purchase the SAME product 2-3 different ways. When, I get the same experience whether I'm reading it on Kindle or the novels in my hand. Only reason I'd make a copy of physical and convert to epub, is for the convenience of not having to tote around my physical bookshelves. And only reason I download from internet, is the convenience of saving my precious time. You just can't convince me I'm hurting anyone or getting over on them.