eBook piracy, how common is it?

Stringer · 03-31-2009, 02:09 AM

I was wondering, how many people read illegal copies and how many buy their books? I think there is one big difference between ebooks and movies regarding the issue that should affect on this poll. It is the fact, that ebooks probably wouldn't exist at all without the legitimate e-publishers. Unlike the AV industry which still isn't able to offer world wide channels for their products, except the piracy.

Answering guide:

In text:
- from below, use the guide that is the most closest thing to your situation
- if it was published free or if you own the paper book version, then select the first option
- if you did lend it from library and deleted it when you returned it to the library, then select the first option
- if it is illegal, then select the second option
- if the third or fourth option really sounds the right one, then by all means select one of those
- if none of above applies and if your country classifies it as legal, but rest of the world thinks it's illegal, then select the second option
- otherwise select the first option

Sonist · 03-31-2009, 02:46 AM

If you price a product right, the majority of people who want it, will pay for it.

Virtually every ebook I have purchased, I also own in pbook format. I also know for a fact, that at least some are available in "pirated" form. But I still bought them, because it was worth it to me.

Of course, I immediately stripped the DRM. I need to be able to share them with my other ereader, and to know, that when I get a new ereder, I'll be able to have my files on it. For the record, I would never have bought them, if I couldn't strip the DRM (I'd have looked for a non-DRM copy, even if not legit.)

doreenjoy · 03-31-2009, 02:50 AM

I own an e-publishing company, so needless to say, I've never illegally acquired an e-book.

Sparrow · 03-31-2009, 02:50 AM

Is your poll just concerned with P2P download of books that are also available as legal ebooks?
I get the impression that a lot of P2P ebooks aren't available as legit ebooks.

HarryT · 03-31-2009, 03:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stringer

I was wondering, how many people read illegal copies and how many buy their books? I think there is one big difference between ebooks and movies regarding the issue that should affect on this poll. It is the fact, that ebooks probably wouldn't exist at all without the legitimate publishers. Unlike the AV industry which still isn't able to offer world wide channels for their products, except the piracy.

Why is your poll only asking about P2P? There are many other sources of illegal books - Usenet, IRC, web sites, etc.

Stringer · 03-31-2009, 03:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparrow

Is your poll just concerned with P2P download of books that are also available as legal ebooks?
I get the impression that a lot of P2P ebooks aren't available as legit ebooks.

I used word most because I thought one or two ebooks illegal wouldn't change the outcome if you then buy 10-20 ebooks. Or are you trying to say, that most of your ebooks are ones that cannot be bought and aren't part of some fancy freeware project and still on the p2p networks?

Stringer · 03-31-2009, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Why is your poll only asking about P2P? There are many other sources of illegal books - Usenet, IRC, web sites, etc.

It seemed like synonym to me. Feel free to answer the p2p even if you use alternative illegal methods.

Sparrow · 03-31-2009, 03:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stringer

I used word most because I thought one or two ebooks illegal wouldn't change the outcome if you then buy 10-20 ebooks. Or are you trying to say, that most of your ebooks are ones that cannot be bought and aren't part of some fancy freeware project and still on the p2p networks?

One reason often cited for downloading non-legit ebooks is that they're not available as legit ebooks (e.g. the Harry Potter books).

I'm not clear if "ebooks probably wouldn't exist at all without the legitimate publishers" refers to pbook publishers or ebook publishers.

Stringer · 03-31-2009, 03:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparrow

I'm not clear if "ebooks probably wouldn't exist at all without the legitimate publishers" refers to pbook publishers or ebook publishers.

Fine, I edited that. This was about ebooks and e-publishers. I guess one could extend this to pbooks regarding the answer option nr 3, but that's about it.

pepak · 03-31-2009, 03:19 AM

- I don't buy e-books and will not start to do so until they are DRM free and meet quality demands I place on commercial products.
- I don't download books from the net (although it is perfectly legal in my country!) simply because the quality is too low.
- Most of my e-books are scans and OCRs of paper books I own.

I wonder: Am I a filthy pirate in this poll?

Stringer · 03-31-2009, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pepak

- I don't buy e-books and will not start to do so until they are DRM free and meet quality demands I place on commercial products.
- I don't download books from the net (although it is perfectly legal in my country!) simply because the quality is too low.
- Most of my e-books are scans and OCRs of paper books I own.

What quality demands?

Quote:

I wonder: Am I a filthy pirate in this poll?

There is no exact option for your kind, I hope you aren't many. The buy version is more close to truth if you scan your own books, even while the method sounds like work.

Sonist · 03-31-2009, 03:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stringer

Fine, I edited that. This was about ebooks and e-publishers. I guess one could extend this to pbooks regarding the answer option nr 3, but that's about it.

Not sure it makes sense, still.

Arguably music downloads sales wouldn't exhaust without legitimate publishers like Apple. Same for stuff like stock photos, or porn....

But they do exist. It's a balance. It's called a marketplace. To repeat: price it right, and most of those interested will pay for it.

Even drug-dealers have figured this one out (or there'd be more DIY ("pirate") meth-heads burglarizing pharmacies :-)

doreenjoy · 03-31-2009, 03:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pepak

- I don't buy e-books and will not start to do so until they are DRM free and meet quality demands I place on commercial products.

There are many legal sources for DRM-free e-books. None of the books my company sells have DRM. Fictionwise has DRM-freebooks, as do many other resellers.

Stringer · 03-31-2009, 03:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonist

But they do exist. It's a balance. It's called a marketplace. To repeat: price it right, and most of those interested will pay for it.

Yes, they now exist. It didn't used to be like that. They gave enough time for the piracy to get a foothold, but there is no such time for e-books. Also, a true world wide sales is pretty much a dream yet, if we include the movies and tv-series too. At least when we compare them to the e-publishing where most of the stuff isn't limited (yet) to only some countries.

pepak · 03-31-2009, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doreenjoy

There are many legal sources for DRM-free e-books.

1) One of the legal sources is the P2P.
2) As I said, I have a strict quality demands. I expect a bought e-book to be of the same quality as a paper book, not something with OCR artifacts on every other page.

And, obviously, the books I would buy would have to be those that I am interested in, which kind of rules out e.g. Baen.

View Poll Results: How do you get your ebooks?
I buy most of my ebooks	214	64.85%
I use P2P to get most of my ebooks	87	26.36%
I use P2P to read my ebooks and then buy the good ones (nobody believes this btw.)	23	6.97%
I don't read ebooks	6	1.82%
Voters: 330. You may not vote on this poll

03-31-2009, 02:09 AM	#1
Stringer Enthusiast Posts: 43 Karma: 22 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Samsung NC10	eBook piracy, how common is it? I was wondering, how many people read illegal copies and how many buy their books? I think there is one big difference between ebooks and movies regarding the issue that should affect on this poll. It is the fact, that ebooks probably wouldn't exist at all without the legitimate e-publishers. Unlike the AV industry which still isn't able to offer world wide channels for their products, except the piracy. Answering guide: In text: - from below, use the guide that is the most closest thing to your situation - if it was published free or if you own the paper book version, then select the first option - if you did lend it from library and deleted it when you returned it to the library, then select the first option - if it is illegal, then select the second option - if the third or fourth option really sounds the right one, then by all means select one of those - if none of above applies and if your country classifies it as legal, but rest of the world thinks it's illegal, then select the second option - otherwise select the first option Last edited by Stringer; 04-03-2009 at 06:03 PM.

03-31-2009, 02:50 AM	#4
Sparrow Wizard Posts: 4,400 Karma: 1358102 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3	Is your poll just concerned with P2P download of books that are also available as legal ebooks? I get the impression that a lot of P2P ebooks aren't available as legit ebooks. __________________ "Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing has happened." - Winston Churchill

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03-31-2009, 02:46 AM	#2
Sonist Apeist Posts: 2,060 Karma: 312282 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The sunny part of California Device: Kindle DXG/iPad/iPhone 3G S/Nexus S/	If you price a product right, the majority of people who want it, will pay for it. Virtually every ebook I have purchased, I also own in pbook format. I also know for a fact, that at least some are available in "pirated" form. But I still bought them, because it was worth it to me. Of course, I immediately stripped the DRM. I need to be able to share them with my other ereader, and to know, that when I get a new ereder, I'll be able to have my files on it. For the record, I would never have bought them, if I couldn't strip the DRM (I'd have looked for a non-DRM copy, even if not legit.)

03-31-2009, 02:50 AM	#3
doreenjoy 01000100 01001010 Posts: 1,855 Karma: 293916 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Polyamorous	I own an e-publishing company, so needless to say, I've never illegally acquired an e-book.

03-31-2009, 03:19 AM	#10
pepak Fanatic Posts: 594 Karma: 4150 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Sony Reader PRS-505	- I don't buy e-books and will not start to do so until they are DRM free and meet quality demands I place on commercial products. - I don't download books from the net (although it is perfectly legal in my country!) simply because the quality is too low. - Most of my e-books are scans and OCRs of paper books I own. I wonder: Am I a filthy pirate in this poll?


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