[LCF]

Originally Posted by Namekuseijin

BTW, how is this any different from going at a store, sitting down at one of the sofas and reading the book at will? Aside from doing it from your couch, of course.

Originally Posted by Keryl Raist

I'd think the biggest difference is that a lot of pirates don't buy the book even if they like it. They aren't just using it as a sampling technique. As a writer I don't mind if they want to browse. I do mind if they are just avoiding paying for the work.

But if they are so hardcore pirates, they wouldn't buy the book anyway. And I would speculate (because no one has solid data on that one), that such people are the minority of all the pirates.
I think most pirates are people who have no other way to obtain the book (Geo. restr., or being poor, or don't wanting to pay double price for delivery from the other end of the world). Anyway, there is a good chance, that these people become fond of what they read and buy it, or some other book later, when they have the funds to obtain it legally.
That was about pirated books. Books given for free are a whole different sort, because you become the cool author, who gives his stuff for free.

Someone also mentioned the teens -

Originally Posted by wvcherrybomb

I'm sure much of it is an age/culture thing. I am a 47 year old grandmother who knows how hard it is to earn a dollar. I suppose this whole method of exposure wouldn't work with teens since they have little or no money to spend anyway. But, like you mentioned, this means they wouldn't be customers anyway so it's a moot point.

I completely agree. As long as you haven't worked for a few years to support yourself, knowing there is no magic wand (ma&pa) from which to produce money should you need them, you begin to realize why books (and games, and photoshop and all the stuff you used to download) cost money. Your mental attitude changes from getting all I can for free, to rewarding the work behind the book/game/etc. Or at least that's what I observed in a lot of people.