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Taylor514ce · 09-03-2008, 03:40 PM

I write a book. Sure, I want attention for that book. Do I get to decide how I market my book, or not? What about how it's packaged? If I decide to give it away for free, do I forfeit my right to publicize it how I choose? Does charging or not charging affect my rights?

If my neighbor gets my book, makes photocopies of it, then goes to advertisers and says "I have a book about X, do you want to advertise to people who are interested in X?", and sells advertising space on the photocopies of my book, pockets all the proceeds (after all, those photocopies cost money to make) and then distributes these indiscriminately around town, does that violate my rights? Should I turn a blind eye, because after all, it brings my book attention? If my neighbor gives away, or sells, copies of my book, without my permission, does that violate my rights, or not? Hey, if it's free, does it even matter? What if I want limited distribution? What if I want to track how many copies I distribute? What if I want, for whatever reason, for every reader to come directly to me for a copy of the book? Do I have that right, or not?

Do I have to explicitly forbid these actions, telling all my neighbors that they aren't allowed to make copies of my copyrighted work and re-purpose it for their own commercial gain?

What if I steal someone else's book, and give it to this "neighbor". Would they be an accomplice to distributing stolen work, or not?

What if this book was controversial or subversive, and the neighbor kept track of everyone they gave a copy of it to? Would that be alright? Would you trust this neighbor?

Substitute "Google" for "my neighbor" and "my book" for "my web page" and "site visitors" for "readers". Does that alter my rights?

This is my last post on the topic. Answer, or don't answer the questions, as they are rhetorical. I'll read any replies but won't respond, having already said all I have to say about it.

I'm posting this as food for thought, and to help those who genuinely want to understand my (unpopular) viewpoint.

09-03-2008, 03:40 PM	#65
Taylor514ce Actively passive. Posts: 2,042 Karma: 478376 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: US Device: Sony PRS-505/LC	I write a book. Sure, I want attention for that book. Do I get to decide how I market my book, or not? What about how it's packaged? If I decide to give it away for free, do I forfeit my right to publicize it how I choose? Does charging or not charging affect my rights? If my neighbor gets my book, makes photocopies of it, then goes to advertisers and says "I have a book about X, do you want to advertise to people who are interested in X?", and sells advertising space on the photocopies of my book, pockets all the proceeds (after all, those photocopies cost money to make) and then distributes these indiscriminately around town, does that violate my rights? Should I turn a blind eye, because after all, it brings my book attention? If my neighbor gives away, or sells, copies of my book, without my permission, does that violate my rights, or not? Hey, if it's free, does it even matter? What if I want limited distribution? What if I want to track how many copies I distribute? What if I want, for whatever reason, for every reader to come directly to me for a copy of the book? Do I have that right, or not? Do I have to explicitly forbid these actions, telling all my neighbors that they aren't allowed to make copies of my copyrighted work and re-purpose it for their own commercial gain? What if I steal someone else's book, and give it to this "neighbor". Would they be an accomplice to distributing stolen work, or not? What if this book was controversial or subversive, and the neighbor kept track of everyone they gave a copy of it to? Would that be alright? Would you trust this neighbor? Substitute "Google" for "my neighbor" and "my book" for "my web page" and "site visitors" for "readers". Does that alter my rights? This is my last post on the topic. Answer, or don't answer the questions, as they are rhetorical. I'll read any replies but won't respond, having already said all I have to say about it. I'm posting this as food for thought, and to help those who genuinely want to understand my (unpopular) viewpoint. Last edited by Taylor514ce; 09-03-2008 at 03:45 PM.