There is so much discussions everywhere , publishers delaying books by 4 months , fighting to keep piracy away.
Why not take what apple did what apps ? I mean software program all over never did thought there would be any money in developing for the mobile industry , but right now the outlook has changed. Heck Stanford is holding special course to teach how to make iphone apps ?
Regarding piracy ,
1. Ebooks were available in txt format even before ANY ebook reader came out , i remember irc groups as far as 2003 offering txts ,and there were still people. At that time nobody did care so much , because there was not such big market for it. But remember even now iphone apps can be pirated (seriously never heard jailbreak before ?) , but they are still being sold in bold format. One reason people buy them heck they are so cheap !.
In India to fight pirate wars, publishers started releasing RETAIL DVD of bollywood movies for Rs.55 (Rs.35 for VCD) ,that's $1 for an actual movie , it was such a bad hit for pirate. Most people do have conscience , if something is available this cheap , they do , no I am not saying it because it just an emotional argument , i saw my buddies , all of us students , actually saying , 'wtf dude why should we go an break our heads with the black market guy for bargaining ,when we get the real deal ?'
PIRACY does flourish , when there is lack of something in a certain place. There is oodles of arguments on that , so I won't waste your time .
AND something interesting for you .
In India(atleast) , english books are available at 1/4tth the price at the 'book market's' basically people sitting on roads and selling them , and in the last 4-5 years or so , it's only flourished. Local politician tried to remove them , they actually started a 'riot' saying HEY we support the country,we have a right to live and what not
