Quote:
Originally Posted by vivaldirules
(pokes head in the door wearing as much armor as he could wear to ask an innocent question)
If, instead, a law was passed that was reliable (not subject to possible false accusations) and protected people's privacy but was effective at detecting illegal file-sharing, would it have been acceptable? ... But I'm trying to find out how much of people's pretty boisterous objections are simply because it's a law designed to protect intellectual property rights for which you personally may or may not have any respect for.
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VR,
That's such a tough question for me! I agree with Harry that artists deserve to be paid for their work.
On the other hand, I think the industry has set up a false dichotomy between printed words and digital ones. It annoys the ever-livin' crap out of me that I become "an illegal file-sharer" if I share a copy of a digital book with my co-worker (for example). This same woman is one with whom I've swapped paperback books for years.
She's a one-time reader. I know that. She'll never read it again. And I can say I know she isn't technically savvy enough to pass it on.
(I can't honestly say she'd remember to delete the file from her computer, though).
Until the laws stop assuming that
any file-sharing is
illegal file-sharing, I'm pretty much against them. [Edited to add: What I mean here is that any file-sharing is malicious/greedy in intent. Current laws may say that any file-sharing is illegal, but it's based on assumption that any file-sharing = mass distribution via p2p or something.]
I would also say that I believe there is a benefit to artists for limited file-sharing. Speaking of the same friend, she has introduced me to many authors I would never have purchased before - because she thrust a copy of the book into my grubby paws and said "You
have to read this book!" Some - no - I didn't like enough to buy any more from that author. But I likely never would have. And some -
wow! - they've become "auto-buys" when they show up at Fictionwise.
I know that's anecdotal evidence. And I know there are those who would never purchase when they can have free. But until there's some kind of "middle ground" on this, I just don't feel I can
carte blanche support these laws.
(And having said all that, I'm never going to be able to argue with my brother against the legalization of marijuana with the same furvor ever again).
