Quote:
Originally Posted by epiphany
A nice idea but what is to stop European customers from importing from developing countries? Especially with ebooks, this would require laws enforcing geographic market segmentation which is most commonly used to reduce competition and hike prices and has the even worse consequence that some countries are denied access to certain books entirely. Your idea also ignores the fact that there is a large discrepancy of incomes within a nation. Why should poor people in wealthy countries pay more than wealthy people in poor countries? I think a more sensible option is just to give money directly to charities.
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What you say is true - I had in mind possibly some form of registration for user/groups in genuine need. But that probably wouldn't work either.
Giving directly to charities is ok, but I'm not sure there are any for the propagation of ebooks.
It's just that it seems to me there is a lack of trust and respect between ebook publishers and ebook readers (in both directions).
I wonder if forging a partnership between the two parties for some 'altruisic' purpose (e.g. spreading ebooks among disadvantaged groups) might restore some mutual regard.
We're all book lovers; people might be less likely to take illicit copies from the catalogue of a publisher who is seen to be doing 'good' to fellow book lovers who are disadvantaged in some way.
The disadvantaged would benefit.
We'd benefit from ebooks getting a greater global profile.
It wouldn't solve the problem, but it might help a bit.