Quote:
Originally Posted by Format C:
I'm not in the number of people who wants it all for free.
But, if BAEN gives me a free sampler CD, I download it, and I'm happy with it.
I suppose you don't...
I'm sure artists have complete control over what they create as long as they don't publish it. When it's published, they lose much of that control.
In the actual copyright-large publishing companies-real world, artists don't have control over what they create, not even during creation itself.
So, whatever change is, it's always for the better.
[SNIP]
PS: my one is just a phylosophical lunchtime musing, but I'll be happy and honoured by every reply I'm wothy of. |
It's worth noting that those Baen sampler CDs you mention are fully authorized by the copyright holder -- that is,
by the authors! This is true two different ways:
- The author's contract with Baen allows Baen to provide promotional materials for free. No payment to Baen and no royalty to the author. That contract provision does not require further specific permission from the author.
- Even though the contract permits them to do so, Baen still doesn't put books on those free CDs unless the author (or his/her agent) specifically agreed that it would be OK to do so.
The reason those CDs exist is that both Baen and (presumably) the authors whose books appear on them think that the free samples increase
future sales enough to more-than-offset any possible losses in current sales. Results from both eBook and dead-tree sales appear to indicate that their belief is correct.
Xenophon
(who knows this particular stuff because I asked about it over at Baen's Bar a few years ago)