Quote:
Originally Posted by anamardoll
He doesn't want it at the price it's being offered at, or -- very likely -- he wants to sample it first in this hypothetical situation.
Has no one here ever checked out a book from the library before deciding whether or not to buy the book? It's not the same thing, because the library presumably paid the author for the copy (unless it was donated as a used book), but it's ultimately the same concept: I wouldn't read this for $10 but I would read it for free.
There is strong anecdotal evidence linked all over MR that pirates buy a lot. They just don't buy everything they use/sample, and they don't always buy before using it.
I don't pirate, but I understand it. I frequently check books out from the library first before buying.  |
Well in essence I agree but....
As said the library is a legitimate and time honored source of reading books, not for possessing them forever. Takes patience which some do not possess I admit.
There is a lot of free content out there, you yourself have I believe been pretty liberal in that respect by offering free copies of some of your work. My point here is that that is the authors choice. Not whether theoretically it could get them some new readers but whether they wish to go that route.
The hurting nobody kind of guys are generally IMO not downloading obscure or Indie works. They are downloading popular works that they could get from the library legitimately or God forbid pay for but they just don't want to. Kind of like maybe I don't want to pay the babysitter and I can just not pay it as the babysitter is unlikely to sue. But I must pay my internet as they will cut me off.
I don't care who steals a book personally, just the insane need for justification bothers me. Justify that and what is the next step. A bit extreme but I have actually heard people justify some pretty extreme and violent antisocial behavior on better grounds than that they weren't going to pay for it anyway.
And whether pirates like the one under discussion buy a lot is immaterial to the author being pirated.
Anyway my closing argument is that the person under discussion on my part has posted numerous sanctimonious posts in the past requesting that people not post information helping others in piracy or please do not pirate books. (not that I am any less sanctimonious I am sure)
Helen