Dangerously e-books: How do I know if my ebooks have been altered?

[mgbino]

I don't think that was mentioned, but I've read that Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn Trilogy) purposely leaks manipulated versions of his books to the regular ebook pirate sites just to mess with people.

He changes the names of characters, messes with the spelling of normal words, ect...

[QuantumIguana]

Originally Posted by mgbino

I don't think that was mentioned, but I've read that Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn Trilogy) purposely leaks manipulated versions of his books to the regular ebook pirate sites just to mess with people.

He changes the names of characters, messes with the spelling of normal words, ect...

When you pirate books, you can't be certain that someone hasn't altered the book as a prank. If you buy from a legitimate source, you cannot be absolutely certain that they haven't been altered, but you have as much justification as possible that they have not.

[forcheville]

Yes, make sure the author is dead before you download any pirated books! (And even then you can't be sure...)

[mgbino]

Originally Posted by forcheville

Yes, make sure the author is dead before you download any pirated books! (And even then you can't be sure...)

Why pirate books when you can exploit Kobo India and get them for $.75 a book anyway?

[tompe]

Originally Posted by mgbino

Why pirate books when you can exploit Kobo India and get them for $.75 a book anyway?

Because lying is more wrong than pirating?

Also when lying about were you live and buy from someone you are not supposed to buy from you disturb the market mechanism. And that is not good since it will then not work properly.

[exachillus]

The OP sounds over sensitive to some readers. Bear in mind that with Ebooks dist, any ebook can be tailored per buyer/reader and you might never know about it.

It sounds crazy when you think about the whole publication as single distribution, however if you reverse the situation and think about the technological capabilities, it is a possibility that each buyer/reader might get a slightly(or heavily) modified version of the digital content. That is possible and can be done or was done.

I remind you the recent controversial Facebook emotions study.

Believe whatever you believe however some technical possibilities are out there.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by exachillus

The OP sounds over sensitive to some readers. Bear in mind that with Ebooks dist, any ebook can be tailored per buyer/reader and you might never know about it.

It sounds crazy when you think about the whole publication as single distribution, however if you reverse the situation and think about the technological capabilities, it is a possibility that each buyer/reader might get a slightly(or heavily) modified version of the digital content. That is possible and can be done or was done.

I remind you the recent controversial Facebook emotions study.

Believe whatever you believe however some technical possibilities are out there.

I don't think anyone doubts the technological feasibility. It is simply illogical to think anyone cares enough to do so -- or if they do, and it matters, you will hear about it just like we hear about pbook Bowdlerization.

Probably becase the editor is bragging and considers it a plus.

[exaltedwombat]

Mail-merge has been around a long time. It's been used in personalised birthday story books for kids.

We've just learned that Facebook has been experimenting with our emotional reactions to different content.

Outside the field of media, I've listened with amused alarm as a priest has attempted to remove obstacles to the True Faith, in a different way for different people. He invented a most bizarre theology for one rather feminist lady, playing down Eve's role in the Garden of Eden and discovering some "supressed" female writers who SHOULD have been included in the Old Testament. It didn't work :-)

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by exaltedwombat

Mail-merge has been around a long time. It's been used in personalised birthday story books for kids.

We've just learned that Facebook has been experimenting with our emotional reactions to different content.

Outside the field of media, I've listened with amused alarm as a priest has attempted to remove obstacles to the True Faith, in a different way for different people. He invented a most bizarre theology for one rather feminist lady, playing down Eve's role in the Garden of Eden and discovering some "supressed" female writers who SHOULD have been included in the Old Testament. It didn't work :-)

Interesting to read about the priest if you have a link. I don't doubt you and lots of things I read I forget where I read them, but sounds like an interesting story.

I am sure that someone or many someones, somewhere, are altering ebooks, songs etc. for either amusement, spitefulness, or some deep nefarious purpose.

I just don't see it as doing them much good, or me anyway much harm.Lot of unaltered ebooks with disinformation and some have been written with bad intent I am sure.

I am no more or no less likely to be harmed by an altered ebook than an unaltered one, that I can see whether fiction or non fiction.

Then again, perhaps I have already had my mind altered and am too simple to realize it.

Helen

[exaltedwombat]

There's nothing to link to regarding the priest. I was there, I heard it. Real life, not Internet!

But Helen. Poor Helen. You've discovered the conspiracy. Now we'll have to eliminate you...

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by exaltedwombat

There's nothing to link to regarding the priest. I was there, I heard it. Real life, not Internet!

But Helen. Poor Helen. You've discovered the conspiracy. Now we'll have to eliminate you...

Bring it on oh Exalted Wombat. The Grand order of Canadian Ground Squirrels, Beavers and Porcupines has yet to be defeated and they are on full scale battle alert.

Helen

[rkomar]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Bring it on oh Exalted Wombat. The Grand order of Canadian Ground Squirrels, Beavers and Porcupines has yet to be defeated and they are on full scale battle alert.

Helen

Oh no! Hide your sweaty axe handles!

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by rkomar

Oh no! Hide your sweaty axe handles!

Indeed. Beavers eat axe handles for breakfast, and the sweat may function as an insult to the more battle oriented ground squirrels, who are strangely influential as we all know.

Helen

[AlexBell]

Originally Posted by EbookNovice

Hey all, I've been working to get rid of all of my physical books to the point where 90% of new books I buy are e-books so that I'm not harming the earth. However, one scary thought crept into my mind: What if the e-books I'm reading have been manipulated and their content is wrong? ...

Is there a way I can check that the e-books I'm reading are genuine?

How can I trust that an e-book hasn't been manipulated?

I think the most effective way would be to prepare the ebook yourself from a genuine original.

But even if you do that you may have some worries:
- Suppose the author has revised his or her book - is the original version the 'genuine' book or is the revised version the 'genuine' version?
- Suppose the author has done a version of a book for sale in the USA and a different one for sale in the UK - which is the genuine version? And I haven't even started on the differences in spelling and punctuation between the USA and the rest of the world.
- Suppose the author has left an obvious typo in his or her book? Is the 'genuine' version the one containing the typo or the one that someone else has corrected?
- Suppose the meaning of a word has changed over time - is it more genuine to use the word that the author used which has changed its meaning, or the word that conveys the sense of the original now?
- Suppose the punctuation the author used is very different from the punctuation we use today? I have open in front of me a copy of The Red Cockade by Stanley J. Weyman printed in the 19th century. The first sentence my eye fell on is

" You have heard ? "

If you did the ebook would you be manipulating it to make it "You have heard?" Or would it be more 'genuine' to use the style in the original book? I have read different editions of that book which used "You have heard?" Which is the genuine edition, and what makes it the genuine edition?

Some of us prefer to make the first line after a scene break not indented. If we use that style in the ebook of a book which does not use that style is the ebook any less genuine than the original?

In any event, who has the authority to answer these questions, and how did they get this authority?

I don't claim for a second to have the answers, or even to be able to point you to a style guide for MobileRead or any other forum. All I'm trying to point out is that your question is very complex. For what it is worth I'd dearly like to see some agreed upon guidelines for the forum - though I certainly would not want to see rules.

[Rev. Bob]

Originally Posted by AlexBell

In any event, who has the authority to answer these questions, and how did they get this authority?

I do, because I said so.

I don't ask for much from an ebook. Use "medium" (or unspecified) size for standard text, use 1.5em for indents, don't skip lines between paragraphs, don't indent the first paragraph or anything that's centered, and if you use a visible section divider, skip a line (or use a 1em margin) above and below it. If you specify a line-height, set it to 1.2 and don't specify units for it. Use one space after a period, except with initials - thus, "C.J. Cherryh" rather than "C. J. Cherryh." Don't overspecify things; use CSS classes and only use the style rules you need. Above all, though? Be consistent.

But then, I'm a weirdo. I like clean design.