Could the Kindle spark book piracy? - Page 16

Penforhire · 12-11-2007, 04:09 PM

Eppy, the morality of sharing is not moot now. Since the genie is out of the bag morality is the entire point remaining. Your choice, what you or I do, is defined not by DRM but solely by our ethics (assuming competence in darknet matters). So the right or wrong of the situation is the most valuable debate we can have concerning DRM.

wgrimm · 12-11-2007, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

IMHO, I think it's time we stopped debating "what is piracy?" I think we all have a very good understanding of piracy, and didn't really need this thread to kick it around until it started bleeding.

Okay, end rant. ...say, weren't we talking about the Kindle here?

Had an interesting conversation with someone I work with the other day. I have been successful in convincing several people to give up Windows and buy a Mac. A coworker and I were talking the benefits of each type of computer, and I said I couldn't understand why more people didn't switch to the Mac, esp. given the Vista fiasco, and the superiority of the (BSD-derived) OS X. His answer- well, there isn't as much "free software" for the Mac as for the PC. Free? I asked. Yeah, you know, he told me, like off the newsgroups and torrents......

I make very sure that all of the software we use in the company is licensed, and have gotten into spats with various managers over this (comments like, "$130 for another copy of XP? Use a pirated copy..). The owner of the company has given me his support, or I wouldn't be working this job. I don't (and the owner doesn't) need the liability that might be incurred using unlicensed software. I also use open source/free software wherever I can- including 3 BSD and 2 Linux servers, Apache, PHP, etc.and the open source stuff is usually better. But how many people in the company use pirated software in their private (Windows-based)computing. I would guess about 90%.....

I must admit, I was a little stunned. And, BTW, give the Kindle about 9 more months before it crashes and burns. then, pick one up for $79 or so. Just like the REBs.

tompe · 12-11-2007, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

Of course. If it's authorized by the copyright holder (or your government), go for it.

You seem to have changed your mind for you now seem to say that it is morally OK if it is legal. Then you should not make statements that seems to be universal about what is moral since it depends on where you live.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 12-11-2007, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

You seem to have changed your mind for you now seem to say that it is morally OK if it is legal. Then you should not make statements that seems to be universal about what is moral since it depends on where you live.

If your government says it is okay... and a government generally bases its laws on the public's view of morality... then obviously it's morally okay for people in Sweden (or wherever the situation applies) to download e-books and give them to friends.

I still do not agree with this assessment. That's why I don't live in Sweden, I suppose. Sweden obviously follows a different set of morals from those in the U.S.

Please note: I am not judging Sweden against the U.S. Just saying it's clearly different there than here.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 12-11-2007, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penforhire

Eppy, the morality of sharing is not moot now.

Morality is never moot. Ever.

JSWolf · 12-11-2007, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

Yes! Yes! Both of those scenarios are permissible! Congratulations! You've got your electronic copy, and no one's going to the pokey! You could even legally pay him for his trouble!

(Provided he gave the CD back to you. You did get it back, didn't you?...

)

If I had someone else format shift something for me, I sure would get back the original. I'm not going to leave it. I paid good money for it. So I want it.

JSWolf · 12-11-2007, 07:10 PM

Since the Kindle is going to increase illegal ebook downloads, we'll just have to do away with the Kindle. Now What I want is for everyone who has bought one to smash it to bits and send it to me so I can make sure it's been destroyed. And Amazon will have to stop selling it. No more Kindle editions as well. No need as no more Kindles.

Jadon · 12-11-2007, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

I still do not agree with this assessment. That's why I don't live in Sweden, I suppose.

I'd hazard you don't live in Sweden for the same reason you don't live in Japan: you've no reason to live there. There's no compelling reason to uproot your life, move away from friends, and on and on. The copyright laws of another country don't even come into consideration. Little things like jobs and not speaking the language, now...

Alisa · 12-11-2007, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Since the Kindle is going to increase illegal ebook downloads, we'll just have to do away with the Kindle. Now What I want is for everyone who has bought one to smash it to bits and send it to me so I can make sure it's been destroyed. And Amazon will have to stop selling it. No more Kindle editions as well. No need as no more Kindles.

LOL. I've often suspected it but now I'm certain you work for Sony!

Ervserver · 12-11-2007, 07:26 PM

seems to me with the Kindle and its Whispernet big bro Amazon could keep an eye on people and and maybe rat on people who are stealing material. Potentially everything you do on a Kindle could be monitored as long as you have this feature turned on, which at some point most people will. Kindle phone home

JSWolf · 12-11-2007, 07:28 PM

If Amazon ever did that, the Kindle would go under faster then the Titanic.

JSWolf · 12-11-2007, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alisa

LOL. I've often suspected it but now I'm certain you work for Sony!

Nothing to do with Sony. This thread topic is about the Kindle. Now if it had been about eink based ebook readers then maybe I'd have said they all need to go. But nope, it's about the Kindle so the Kindle gets to go.

Alisa · 12-11-2007, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ervserver

seems to me with the Kindle and its Whispernet big bro Amazon could keep an eye on people and and maybe rat on people who are stealing material

They most certainly could. It would be quite an undertaking to monitor, though. I wonder if it would be worthwhile for them. Is there enough of an upside to outweigh the expense and potential business impact from busting people? I'm wondering how much the Kindle's audience even intersects with the torrent-downloading crowd.

Alisa · 12-11-2007, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Nothing to do with Sony. This thread topic is about the Kindle. Now if it had been about eink based ebook readers then maybe I'd have said they all need to go. But nope, it's about the Kindle so the Kindle gets to go.

Of course. I'm just teasing you about your Sony partisanship. Not that it's a bad thing. I'm happy you love it enough to sing its praises.

JSWolf · 12-11-2007, 07:41 PM

But to be serious for a moment, I do think there possibly can be an upside to ebook downloads. If I am interested in trying out an author but do now want to spend the money and I find an electronic copy of one of the author's books online and download it, convert, read it and decide I like it, I could then end up paying for other books from this same author where I would not have before.

This same situation happened when Napster first came out. And due to Napster, sales of CDs went up 6% until the RIAA deiced to get Napster shut down and raise prices.

Now if we find out that ebook downloading causes a rise in sales of ebook overall, do we really want to do away with ebook downloads or do we want to let it go since overall it is having a positive effect?

View Poll Results: Could the Kindle spark book piracy?
Yes, book piracy will get a boost thanks to successful Kindle sales	26	20.16%
On the contrary, since it's now even easier and cheaper to purchase e-books	46	35.66%
No, there won't be any change.	57	44.19%
Voters: 129. You may not vote on this poll

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12-11-2007, 04:09 PM	#226
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	Eppy, the morality of sharing is not moot now. Since the genie is out of the bag morality is the entire point remaining. Your choice, what you or I do, is defined not by DRM but solely by our ethics (assuming competence in darknet matters). So the right or wrong of the situation is the most valuable debate we can have concerning DRM.

12-11-2007, 07:10 PM	#232
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,798 Karma: 146391129 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Since the Kindle is going to increase illegal ebook downloads, we'll just have to do away with the Kindle. Now What I want is for everyone who has bought one to smash it to bits and send it to me so I can make sure it's been destroyed. And Amazon will have to stop selling it. No more Kindle editions as well. No need as no more Kindles.

12-11-2007, 07:26 PM	#235
Ervserver Wizard Posts: 2,624 Karma: 1008294 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Iowa, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch	seems to me with the Kindle and its Whispernet big bro Amazon could keep an eye on people and and maybe rat on people who are stealing material. Potentially everything you do on a Kindle could be monitored as long as you have this feature turned on, which at some point most people will. Kindle phone home

12-11-2007, 07:28 PM	#236
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,798 Karma: 146391129 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	If Amazon ever did that, the Kindle would go under faster then the Titanic.

12-11-2007, 07:41 PM	#240
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,798 Karma: 146391129 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	But to be serious for a moment, I do think there possibly can be an upside to ebook downloads. If I am interested in trying out an author but do now want to spend the money and I find an electronic copy of one of the author's books online and download it, convert, read it and decide I like it, I could then end up paying for other books from this same author where I would not have before. This same situation happened when Napster first came out. And due to Napster, sales of CDs went up 6% until the RIAA deiced to get Napster shut down and raise prices. Now if we find out that ebook downloading causes a rise in sales of ebook overall, do we really want to do away with ebook downloads or do we want to let it go since overall it is having a positive effect?