MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Is Rapidshare a promoter of e-book piracy?

nekokami · 10-04-2009, 02:09 PM

I think it would be more interesting to research where the original source files came from. If they are cracked DRM versions, which stores are people shopping at, or which formats are they buying in, and then uploading? If they are scanned versions, things get even more interesting.

I suspect if there were a way to track sources, most of the pirated copies of this (or any other) DRM'd book would be found to trace back to a very small number of initial uploads. There's no "street cred" to be gained in the darknet gift economy by uploading what's already available. That's why the release of the last Harry Potter book was such a pirate's dream. Everyone knew that it wouldn't be released as an ebook, and the paper versions were (supposedly) tightly controlled. The release was also highly publicized, guaranteeing fame (or notoriety) to anyone who managed to "beat the system." So the race was on to provide a digital copy as early as possible-- in this case before the actual paper release date. Further updates were clean-ups and enhancements, such that now, if an authorized ebook were to be released, I doubt anyone would DRM-crack it and upload it, as there would be no point. The free pirate versions are probably better than the official DRM version would be in terms of proofreading, formatting, etc.

I'm also quite skeptical of the rapidshare claim-- what's easy to find on Google isn't necessarily where the action is happening.

10-04-2009, 02:09 PM	#24
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	I think it would be more interesting to research where the original source files came from. If they are cracked DRM versions, which stores are people shopping at, or which formats are they buying in, and then uploading? If they are scanned versions, things get even more interesting. I suspect if there were a way to track sources, most of the pirated copies of this (or any other) DRM'd book would be found to trace back to a very small number of initial uploads. There's no "street cred" to be gained in the darknet gift economy by uploading what's already available. That's why the release of the last Harry Potter book was such a pirate's dream. Everyone knew that it wouldn't be released as an ebook, and the paper versions were (supposedly) tightly controlled. The release was also highly publicized, guaranteeing fame (or notoriety) to anyone who managed to "beat the system." So the race was on to provide a digital copy as early as possible-- in this case before the actual paper release date. Further updates were clean-ups and enhancements, such that now, if an authorized ebook were to be released, I doubt anyone would DRM-crack it and upload it, as there would be no point. The free pirate versions are probably better than the official DRM version would be in terms of proofreading, formatting, etc. I'm also quite skeptical of the rapidshare claim-- what's easy to find on Google isn't necessarily where the action is happening.