E-Book pirate: We are the same as Amazon, only the price is different

[MattW]

Originally Posted by zerospinboson

The other issue is what to do with the intuition that 'if you've heard of a <book>, and you are unable to read it because of either Customs or georestriction issues, you are now justified to want to read the <book>. On the one hand, this seems wrong, because of how we are taught to think about product access -- in terms of "sales"/"consumption". On the other -- looked at from the social perspective of being told that someone has a story they would like to tell you -- the intuition that you should be allowed to hear that story seems quite logical. A further problem is created by the suggestion that your 'purchase' somehow matters to the author, as well as to the whole system of creating cultural works. The question is whether your right to share in the story (or piece of music, or whatever) is stronger than the duty to support the author (or the author+system) that supposedly forms a necessary condition for sharing in the cultural expression.

I would argue that when someone has a story to tell and does NOT want any money for it, he will then, in today's world, share this story for free on the web on a blog, Youtube video or wherever (or, as in Cory Doctorow's case, leave you the option of getting it for free).

The fact that someone is trying to sell his story tells you pretty much everything you need to know about the intended nature of the "sharing in the cultural expression" and invalidates pretty much any attempt to read it any other way.

I could, of course, be completely mistaken.

Matt

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by MattW

I would argue that when someone has a story to tell and does NOT want any money for it, he will then, in today's world, share this story for free on the web on a blog, Youtube video or wherever (or, as in Cory Doctorow's case, leave you the option of getting it for free).

The fact that someone is trying to sell his story tells you pretty much everything you need to know about the intended nature of the "sharing in the cultural expression" and invalidates pretty much any attempt to read it any other way.

I could, of course, be completely mistaken.

Matt

No, you aren't mistaken. The author submits it to a publisher to try and SELL it. Or in the case of indies, we submit it to Amazon FOR SALE. Even if I write a cultural expression, I'd still wish to sell it to make a living. Anyone who wishes to give away their work has many means to do so.

I've said it before and will continue to say it. For me PERSONALLY as an author, it is not okay with me if you download my books from an illegal site. There are many legal means to obtain the books and to even borrow them. I do not somehow feel that I am "paid" because someone reads it and tells a friend about it. They could buy the book and do the same thing. They can also request a review copy and review the book at various sites. This is a legal and common way to obtain books.

I read and appreciated the post by the person who seemed intent on jumping through hoops to pay the author when georestrictions prevented an easy way to buy the book. Okay, I get that not everyone is going to do that. But I still appreciated the story.