Harry Potter 6 e-book already being pirated!

[Colin Dunstan]

Thanks to Mrs Rowling's insistance not to release an electronic version of the new Harry Potter book Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, underground e-book pirates have already began to do the work for themselves.

Bookstores across the globe simultaneously flung open their doors at GMT 2301 on Friday night to allow Harry Potter fans all over the world to snatch up the latest volume of the boy-wizard's adventures. Some of them didn't start reading the paper book right away; instead, they went to the next scanning device and started running their OCR software on little Potter.

In a joint-effort the pirates are now meeting in dedicated IRC channels with imaginative names such as #pottermania or #potterwork to spread the work of scanning and proofreading. As of right now, at least chapters 1-6, 8 and 12-13 have been scanned and proofread, and are already available for download on multiple (mostly Russia-based) web-servers (txt and html). My guess is that it will take at most another 24 hours for the entire e-book to leak to the Net.

I don't condone copyright piracy. But it should be clear, even to JK Rowling, that there's always going be piracy no matter what you do. The best way to minimize would be to release an official e-book version. Maybe with Harry Potter Book 7?

Update: I've already received several private messages asking me for links to the illegal e-book. Please don't send me any more messages of this regard... I am sure Rowling's lawyers would not know mercy.

Update 2: It's done, the complete e-book has been fully scanned + proofread, in about 12 hours after the hardcover book had hit the stores.

Update 3: Pirates made available a net.radio audiobook version of the new Potter novel. Read more about it over at Teleread.

Update 4: Copies of the e-book already spotted on eBay. Tsk.

[rlauzon]

Yes, but you can bet the the "official" eBook version of Book 7 will be DRMed up the wazoo - and therefore won't satisify the market. So it won't do a darn thing to minimize piracy.

[volwrath]

It wont be DRMed moreso than any other book, so I disagree. I would rather support authors, BUT I also want to read an ebook format. An interesting conundrum.

Also my wife bought the book at midnight last night. Does that mean I can download a copy under fair use?

[TadW]

Originally Posted by volwrath

Also my wife bought the book at midnight last night. Does that mean I can download a copy under fair use?

I would like to know that too.

[TadW]

Interesting screenshots attached

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally Posted by volwrath

It wont be DRMed moreso than any other book, so I disagree. I would rather support authors, BUT I also want to read an ebook format. An interesting conundrum.

IF eReader.com had a chance to offer the Potter series, you could count on me... I would immediately buy them. I know it's lame, but I even got used the eReader DRM scheme.

I hope others think the same way and henceforth could prove that official e-books DO diminish e-book piracy.

[volwrath]

I would buy it just to give credibility to the format. I've bought about 4 DRMed MSReader books and 3 eReader format books. Nowadays I'd rather buy MSReader books

[rlauzon]

Originally Posted by volwrath

It wont be DRMed moreso than any other book, so I disagree. I would rather support authors, BUT I also want to read an ebook format. An interesting conundrum.

Once an eBook is DRMed, it immediately becomes worthless. This is because the DRM doesn't lock the book to you. It locks the book to a particular device/software.

When I buy a paper book, I can read it where and when I want. But if I buy a DRMed eBook, my options are limited - drastically. Personally, I don't like Palm Reader. I think that the PDF format is useless on a handheld (too bloated and requires that you use overpriced, insecure software - i.e. Windows - to get it on your PDA). And, of course, I won't touch LIT with a 10' pole.

I know that not everyone feels like I do, but as more and more people get burned by DRM, and realize that they have alternatives, they will feel like I do - and demand non-DRMed eBooks.

Originally Posted by volwrath

Also my wife bought the book at midnight last night. Does that mean I can download a copy under fair use?

According to Copyright law: Yes. According to publishers: No.

[hacker]

Originally Posted by rlauzon

Once an eBook is DRMed, it immediately becomes worthless. This is because the DRM doesn't lock the book to you. It locks the book to a particular device/software.

DRM is only supposed to get in the way when you try to redistribute the DRM-protected work. Its not supposed to get in your way when you try to use the media you've legally purchased with a device you legally own. That is the key problem here.

[gadgetguru]

Pirated or not, the leaked version will not make A dent in HP's sales. Most of the fans who downloaded the ebook would probably get a print version too as an ebook is not a 'collectible' and true fans just have to have the physical form of the book.

HP5 was copied, proofed, and uploaded in quick fashion too...If I'm not wrong,, it was HP5 that make distributed scan/proofread mainstream for must-have books.

I believe all six HP books exist in ebook format somewhere, but unlike movies or music, ebooks are still not as easy to read as printed books. Save for portability, printed books still gives a better reading experience (except when reading under the sheets with a flashlight). Pirated HP ebooks hasn't stop Ms. Rowling from becoming the richest person in UK (net worth $1B and increasing with every book sold), eclipsing the Queen.

Still, I will buy a printed copy this coming week. Ebook availability or not. I was just wondering if buying a printed copy will allow me to keep a electronic copy on my PDA... does fair use allow that?

[hacker]

Originally Posted by gadgetguru

Still, I will buy a printed copy this coming week. Ebook availability or not. I was just wondering if buying a printed copy will allow me to keep a electronic copy on my PDA... does fair use allow that?

No, it does not, since you did not obtain the electronic version through legal means.

[volwrath]

Originally Posted by gadgetguru

...but unlike movies or music, ebooks are still not as easy to read as printed books. Save for portability, printed books still gives a better reading experience (except when reading under the sheets with a flashlight).

That is obviously your opinion, but there are many that will disagree with you. Frankly ebooks are superior in everyway as far as I am concerned. You read HP from that big thick hardbound book, while laying on the couch. Ill read on my pocketpc.. Oh well at least you will get more exercise.

[volwrath]

Originally Posted by rlauzon

And, of course, I won't touch LIT with a 10' pole.

According to Copyright law: Yes. According to publishers: No.

Why won't you touch .lit? I try to buy .lit exclusively.

Actually hacker is correct about this. Fair use means I could take my copy and scan/ocr it. Downloading an electronic copy , however is not the same.

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally Posted by volwrath

Actually hacker is correct about this. Fair use means I could take my copy and scan/ocr it. Downloading an electronic copy , however is not the same.

But the outcome would be the same, wouldn't it? So who has the burden of proof later on how you obtained the electronic version if you also own the hardcover book?

[volwrath]

For all practical purposes, Alexander, you are correct.