Quote:
Originally Posted by Steven Lake
. . . This is people who *WILL* buy your stuff, and *WILL* pay for a copy, but have been forced to pirate your ebook because either A) it's good enough to read, but not good enough to be worth paying for, B) you did something stupid and locked it behind oppressive DRM, C) you priced your book above what most people consider reasonable for a book, or maybe just your book specifically, or D) you're a douche (like the MPAA/RIAA) and treat people like crap, so they fight back by getting their fix while preventing you from lining your pockets with their cash.
Either way, 90% of piracy doesn't need to occur. If distributors, writers, artists, companies, etc, etc, would all just get a clue, the people who would pay will pay, and those who won't will just go on doing what they've always done, and that's steal because they are dishonest douches.
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Please read the first statement and item A) once more and tell me if the combination makes sense? They want to pay the author for his work, but it is not good enough to be worth their money so they are forced to pirate it so they can read it? Say what? People who steal are dishonest douches -Yes!- but not if the item is priced at more than they think it is worth-No! No they have just rationalized becoming dishonest douches themselves. Not worth the asking price? Move on and pay for something else you think is.
Everything else you had to say is in my opinion spot on. DRM is an incredibly stupid idea. I always strip the DRM form any e-books I buy, not because I want to put it on the 'darknet' and let others piggy-back for free on my purchase, but because I have purchased the e-book and it is my right to be able to read it when I want on any device I want.
Item C, argh! A rehash of the assertion in item A. Once more each of us should not be individually allowed to decide what an item is worth and, if what the seller wants is higher than that, conclude that we are justified in getting it for free from some pirate source.
The MPAA/RIAA attempts to stop piracy buy trying to track down and sue downloaders? An even dumber idea than DRM.
The truth is that the people who just want everything for free are like cockroaches. After WWIII they will still be ubiquitous. I think most people are honest and know that authors deserve to be paid for their work. It is just that this “piracy is not only not a crime it's the moral thing to do and doesn't hurt anyone” culture is like a devil whispering in everyone's ear.
Final point about piracy actually benefiting authors? It is possible I guess, but I am far from convinced. I don't see how broad circulation among the never-pay-for-it crowd will ever benefit authors in sales and income.