Quote:
Originally Posted by HamsterRage
OK, so I'm new to eReaders and I have to say that I'm done with hardcopy books (at least stuff like novels) for good. eBooks are just much easier to deal with than paper.
Here's the thing though. I've got a couple of books that I bought in paperback but hadn't gotten to before I bought my eReader. Also, my wife is still reading books on paper so if we're both going to read a particular book, then we'll have to buy it in paper for her.
So the question is: What does everyone think the ethics are of downloading ebook copies of books you already own on paper from P2P networks like BitTorrent?
|
The ethical issue has to do with supporting people who are behaving unethically - i.e., the pirate site & the uploaders. On the other hand, the failure of the publishers to offer a digital version of the book basically means that the think they have the right to require you to read the book in the format they, rather than you, chose.
My resolution of this is simple. If i own the book in paper, & the publisher offers an ebook version I buy it. If they don't, I'll download it. If I don't own the book in paper, I don't download it.
But frankly, I don't see anything wrong with downloading the pirate version if I already own the book. I do thing that I'll get a better version from the publisher. And it's easier. That's the real answer to piracy, if publishers are alert.